VALENTIN G. MATULA, CDR, USN
Valentin Matula '47
Lucky Bag
From the 1947 Lucky Bag:
Valentin George Matula
Hallettsville, Texas
Known to us as Big Red. Redski, or just plain Red. this six-foot-three, curly-haired (what there is of it) Texan came to us via the Fleet. Never one to worry much about book larnin', he nevertheless managed to get through with enough to spare. His big love, here on the Severn, was playing baseball or softball. he could put a mean curve on a softball or slug the apple into the bleachers with equal ease. Red is an easygoing, amiable fellow with a well-developed sense of humor and all-around ability: a big man with a big heart.
He was a member of the baseball team.
The Class of 1947 was graduated in June 1946 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.
Valentin George Matula
Hallettsville, Texas
Known to us as Big Red. Redski, or just plain Red. this six-foot-three, curly-haired (what there is of it) Texan came to us via the Fleet. Never one to worry much about book larnin', he nevertheless managed to get through with enough to spare. His big love, here on the Severn, was playing baseball or softball. he could put a mean curve on a softball or slug the apple into the bleachers with equal ease. Red is an easygoing, amiable fellow with a well-developed sense of humor and all-around ability: a big man with a big heart.
He was a member of the baseball team.
The Class of 1947 was graduated in June 1946 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.
Loss
From "RA-5C Vigilante Units in Combat" by Robert R Powell:
RVAH-1 lost its commanding officer on 20 July [1965]. Returning from a reconnaissance mission over North Vietnam, the crew successfully landed back aboard ship, only to discover that the arresting gear had been set incorrectly and the wire broke. RA-5C BuNo 151619 ran off the deck and into the water. There was no time to eject, and the pilot, Cdr Valentin Matula, and RAN, Lt Carl Gronquist, were killed on impact. Because of the aircraft's size and weight, arresting gear and catapults worked at maximum limits when operating with the Vigilante, and incorrect settings remained a problem throughout the jet's career.
Valentin was operating from USS Independence (CV 62) at Yankee Station.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Valentin was elected Reporter of the Junior Club at St. Ludmila’s Academy in September 1938. Known as “Kiddo,” he was a softball pitcher. On Sunday, April 14, 1940, Valentin’s family hosted a turkey dinner at their house for the SLA seniors, after which, the seniors presented their play “Another Angle” at the school. A member of SLA Sodality, he graduated as valedictorian in 1940.
From the Shiner Gazette, July 29, 1965: He enlisted in the Navy in 1941 and was attached to the NRS of Houston, and NAS of San Diego. After the naval academy, he was assigned to the USS Princeton where he served in the Gunner, Operations, and Communications departments. He received his wings in Pensacola in November, 1950.
After serving two years in Air Anti-Submarine Squadron 31, he was Operations Department Administrative Officer and NAS Personnel Officer at NAS Memphis. He served on the Comcardiv Three Staff from March 1956 until July 1957. He then attended the Naval War College for a year.
In July 1958, he was ordered to report to Heavy Attack Squadron One-Twenty-Three, NAS Whidbey Island, Washington, for jet transition and Heavy Attack Training. Upon completion of this training, he was sent to VAH-4 where he was one of the winning crews in the 1959 Naval Air Weapons Meet.
Upon completion of sea duty in 1961, he served in the billet of Officer Procurement and Release Plans at the Bureau of Naval Personnel. In January 1964, he reported to Heavy Attack Squadron Three, NAS Sanford, for training in the A-5A/RA-5C Vigilante. He next reported aboard VAH-1 as the Executive Officer. During his tour with “Tigers,” the squadron transitioned to the RA-5C Vigilante.
At the time of his death, he was stationed in the Philippine Islands and was on a flight taking pictures over hostile areas. He was survived by his wife Ann, daughter Pamela Ann and son Mark, five sisters (Bessie, Emelie, Lillie, Tonie, and Frances) and four brothers (Cyril/Sidney, Adolf, George, and Frank.) His brothers Victor and John preceded Valentin in death. His father Valentin was a farmer who was born in Czechoslovakia; his mother was Millie; stepmother Emelie.
He was survived by his wife, Demetra Ann, and two children. (Information from August-September 1965 issue of Shipmate.) He has a memory marker in Arlington National Cemetery.
From the Orlando Sentinel, October 29, 1987:
[Carl] Gronquist, a 33-year-old Naval reserve officer, had flown a mission over North Vietnam July 20, 1965, aboard a supersonic bomber that had been converted into a reconnaissance plane. He sat behind pilot Valentin Matula, navigating and monitoring radar, according to a Navy spokesman.
Both were killed when the plane crashed over the side of the carrier.
When the [Vietnam Veterans] memorial was dedicated, Jean Gronquist Ray assumed her brother’s name was on it.
But she later learned that he wasn’t considered eligible because his plane crashed outside the war zone. It was a frustrating technicality that had eliminated many soldiers from the honor their families felt was due.
Under pressure from those families, the Defense Department broadened its eligibility requirements to include those killed traveling to and from the war zone on combat and combat support missions.
[Carl’s and Valentin’s names were inscribed on the memorial five years after its dedication. Comedian Bob Hope was there and said, “We are honoring 24 new names today, adding 24 names … 24 gallant and courageous young Americans … We pray this monument will become a symbol of the insanity and futility of war.”]
Photographs
Related Articles
Murdoch McLeod '47 was also in 11th Company.
Memorial Hall Error?
Valentin is listed on the killed in action panel in the front of Memorial Hall. While not an obvious error, inclusion on the panel for crashes like this (incidental to combat flights) has been inconsistent across WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
