Soldier Honored: Matthew Freeman

USMC Captain, Matthew Freeman, 29, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 201st Corps, and Afghan National Army. He was killed in action 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.

He 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, a saxophonist in the marching band and also sang at his high school graduation. He was a 2002 graduate of the United States Naval Academy with an aerospace engineering degree. He was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star with Combat "V" posthumously for his actions. He graduated in 2002 from the United States Naval Academy and is laid to rest in the United States Naval Academy Cemetery and Columbarium.

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. He sincerely wanted to be good at everything, and his combination of talent and hard work eventually turned him into the Renaissance man he would joke about being in high school. Throughout it all, he retained his great sense of subtly self-deprecating humor, and spending time with him was always, well, fun.”