Name: Bruce Frederick Matheson Jr. Rank: Private First Class Service Number: 39480461 Service: Company C, 145th Armored Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division, US Army Awards: Purple Heart Date of Birth: November 8, 1921 Place of Birth: Port Hadlock, Jefferson Co., Washington Date of Enlistment: October 5, 1944 Place of Enlistment: Fort Lewis, Pierce County, Washington Address at Enlistment: Jefferson County, Washington Age at Enlistment: 22 Height: 6 feet Complexion: Light Brown Hair Color: Black Eye Color: Brown Occupation: Carpenter Marital Status: Married Religion: Unknown Next of Kin: Bruce Matheson (Father) Date of Death: August 3, 1945 Age: 23 Cemetery: Greenwood Cemetery, Chimacum, Jefferson Co., Washington Bruce Frederick Matheson was the son of Bruce Matheson (1889–1980) and Olivette "Mamo" Mae (Caul) Matheson (1905–1971). His father was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and immigrated the United States in 1909. His mother was born in Uncas, Jefferson County, Washington. Bruce’s father, Bruce Sr., served in the US Army during the First World War, and was overseas from January 24, 1918, to June 9, 1919, in Company C of the 23rd Engineers or 23rd Engineer Regiment (Road). The 23rd Engineers were known as the ‘Road Builders of the AEF’ (American Expeditionary Forces). He was discharged June 25, 1919. When Bruce Jr. he completed his US Draft registration, he was working at the Neah Bay Naval Base in Clallam County, Washington. After enlisting in October 1944 at Fort Lewis in Washington, he joined the 145th Armored Infantry Regiment. The 145th participated in the Northern Solomons and Luzon offensives (the latter with an arrowhead – the symbolism of which means that the unit participated in that campaign and that it included amphibious landings) and it also garnered a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for its efforts in liberating the Philippines. Private First Class Bruce Fredrick Matheson Jr. was killed in action in Luzon, Pangasinan Province, Ilocos, Philippines. He was interred at the Greenwood Cemetery in Chimacum, Washington. Bruce Matheson’s parents chose to repatriate his remains rather than having him interred in an American Battle Monuments Commission cemetery overseas, and he was interred at the Greenwood Cemetery in Chimacum, Jefferson Co., Washington. Post 7498 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars is named after Bruce; known as the Bruce F Matheson Post 7498 Veterans of Foreign Wars.