TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Archibald Mathies was born on June 3, 1918 in the town of Stonehouse, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. Shortly after his birth, the Mathies family immigrated to America, settling in western Pennsylvania in the small town of Finleyville. He eventually went to work in the local coal mines. Mathies enlisted in the U.S. Army on Dec. 30, 1940.
He departed the United States on Dec. 8, 1943, and arrived in England on Dec. 16. Upon his arrival, he was assigned to the 8th Air Force Replacement Depot Casual Pool and was subsequently attached to the 1st Replacement and Training Squadron until Jan. 18, 1944. The next day he was assigned to the 510th Bomb Squadron, 351st Bomb Group, based at RAF Polebrook, England, as an Engineer-Gunner. He was promoted to staff sergeant Feb. 17, 1944. Three days later, on his second mission, Mathies lost his life while attempting to land his damaged B-17 after a heavy bomb attack on enemy installations at Leipzig, Germany, for which he received the Medal of Honor.
During this raid, along with 2nd Lt. Walter E. Truemper aboard a B-17G, nicknamed “Ten Horsepower,” the co-pilot was killed and the pilot severely injured. Mathies and the navigator flew the crippled plane back to England, where the rest of the crew parachuted to safety. Mathies and the navigator were ordered to jump, but both refused to leave the pilot behind. After some indecision, they were permitted to attempt a landing. The plane crashed into an open field on the third attempt, killing all aboard. They buzzed the field twice, but were waved off. Then, as they made a third attempt, they lost control of the deteriorating aircraft and crashed short of the runway. Mathies and Truemper were killed, while Lt. Nelson survived the crash but died later that day.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy in connection with a bombing mission over enemy-occupied Europe on 20 February 1944. The aircraft on which Sgt. Mathies was serving as engineer and ball turret gunner was attacked by a squadron of enemy fighters with the result that the co-pilot was killed outright, the pilot wounded and rendered unconscious, the radio operator wounded and the plane severely damaged. Nevertheless, Sgt. Mathies and other members of the crew managed to right the plane and fly it back to their home station, where they contacted the control tower and reported the situation. Sgt. Mathies and the navigator volunteered to attempt to land the plane. Other members of the crew were ordered to jump, leaving Sgt. Mathies and the navigator aboard. After observing the distressed aircraft from another plane, Sgt. Mathies’ commanding officer decided the damaged plane could not be landed by the inexperienced crew and ordered them to abandon it and parachute to safety. Demonstrating unsurpassed courage and heroism, Sgt. Mathies and the navigator replied that the pilot was still alive but could not be moved and they would not desert him. They were then told to attempt a landing. After two unsuccessful efforts, the plane crashed into an open field in a third attempt to land. Sgt. Mathies, the navigator, and the wounded pilot were killed.