Fallen Soldier: Matthew Freeman

USMC Captain Matthew Freeman, 29, of Lake Forest, IL, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 201st Corps, and Afghan National Army. He was killed on August 7th, 2009, by enemy fire while engaging in Operation Brest Thunder in one of the most dangerous regions within the 201st Corps area.

Capt. Freeman was a true renaissance man. An avid reader, he’d read all of Shakespeare’s works. He was a two-time tennis champion for his high school team and a saxophonist in the marching band. He was a 2002 graduate of the US Naval Academy with an aerospace engineering degree. After graduation, Capt. Freeman accepted a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. He completed The Basic School (TBS) and the Infantry Officer’s Course, and was certified as a Marine C-130 pilot. He was the third generation of Freemans to wear Navy wings.

One high school classmate wrote this about him: “I think what really set Matt apart was his complete enthusiasm for life. He put his heart into everything he did, whether it was academics, drama, chorus, band, tennis, friendships, or his career. Throughout it all, he retained his great sense of subtly self-deprecating humor, and spending time with him was always, well, fun.”