Matthew J August

West Point, 1997

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Mary Kay Salomone on January 30, 2004:

A Quiet Leader The flags over Rhode Island are flying at half-mast today because we lost a quiet leader and a hero on Tuesday morning, Captain Matthew August. Matt is from our little town of North Kingstown, Rhode Island, but he certainly was not a little man. He touched everyone he ever met. A homemade bomb in a roadside attack in Khaldiyah killed Matt, 60 miles west of Baghdad. Matt was 28. He was a 1997 graduate of West Point and was the commander of B Company, 1st Engineer Battalion out of Fort Riley, Kansas. He is survived by his wife, Capt Maureen Innes August (USMA 1998), his parents, Dick and Donna August, his brother Mark (a graduate of USAFA) and his sister Melanie. I would like to share a little bit about Matt with all of you. Matt grew up in Rhode Island, loved the outdoors was an athlete and scholar at Bishop Hendricken High School. Some of his teachers were asked how they remembered him and each of them described him in just about the same way. Honest, hard-working, likable, spiritual, totally involved, respected, a true friend and a quiet leader, one who led by example. What a legacy he has left us! I didn't know Matt very well because he was a firstie by the time my son was a plebe, but the few times I visited with him over the years, he was always so approachable, so patient to answer all our questions about West Point, unbelievably polite and very kind. Over the years, I did get to watch him grow into a self assured young man because his family attends the same church as we do, so over the last ten years, we have seen a young cadet become a self assured and proud young Army officer. I saw his relationship grow with Maureen. I saw the love and affection that they shared with every glance and private whisper. What role models they were for younger cadets and I'm sure young soldiers as well. Both Matt and Maureen were proud of their service to this nation and they went to Iraq hoping that they could help rebuild this war torn nation since they are both engineers. They knew the dangers, but they are professionals and they chose to do "the harder right" It was their duty. Matt has left a mark in the lives of everyone he has ever met. He had a killer smile, a twinkle in his eye, great love for his Maureen and his family and his soldiers. Matt is just one of many young heroes that have died in this war. They will NEVER be forgotten. They are the ones that make this country great by doing their job, being professional, taking care their troops and doing it quietly and with honor. DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY. Matt understood what those three words met, he lived by them, he fought for them and he gave his life for them. Matt, rest in peace in the arms of God.

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