"Retired Army Brig. Gen. Theo C. Mataxis died in Denver. He was 88. Mataxis enlisted in the Washington National Guard in the fall of 1939. His service in World War II was as a battalion commander of the 2nd Battalion 276th Infantry Division during the last German offensive in the winter of 1944. He participated in the breakthrough of the Siegfried line, liberating the towns of Forbach and Oeting, France. He volunteered for the Korean War in 1952, where he first served as 17th Infantry Regiment executive officer, next assuming command of the regiment during bitter campaigns for Triangle, T-Bone and Pork Chop Hills. In 1964, he volunteered for Vietnam, where he served as a senior adviser, II ARVN Corps, for 16 months. He became deputy commander of the 82nd Airborne Division for eight months. In 1970, he returned to Vietnam, where he served as assistant division commander to the Americal Division and as acting division commander. In February 1971, he was assigned as chief of the Military Equipment Delivery Team for Cambodia in Phnom Penh until his retirement in April 1972. During his military career, he received the Silver Star; two Purple Hearts; four Bronze Stars for Valor; Army Commendation Medals for valor with three palms; Distinguished Flying Cross; Air Medal for valor with 30 oak leaf clusters; four Vietnam Crosses of Gallantry (two with palms, two with gold star); Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters; Joint Service Commendation Medal; Vietnamese (Air Medal; National Order 5th Class, Honor Medal); United Nations Service Medal for duty in Kashmir; Vietnamese Service Medal; U.S. Distinguished Service Medal for service in Cambodia." Obituary fayettevillec.com 10 Mar 06 WWII 70th Infantry Division 276th Infantry Citation: Major Ted Mataxis, 2nd Bn, 276th, Silver Star and Bronze Star, GO 49 dated, 20 Jun 45. Citation for Silver Star reads: ...for gallantry in action on 10 January 1945, near Rothbach, France. When two companies had lost their commanding officers as a result of enemy action, Lieutenant Colonel (then major) Mataxis, then Battalion Executive Officer, went forward to coordinate these units in a night attack. He maneuvered one company into action, and aided the other by bringing effective fire upon enemy machine guns which had halted the rifle platoons. Moving forward, he reorganized the front line troops, in complete darkness and under heavy artillery fire. While thus engaged, he captured two prisoners, and killed three enemy soldiers at an automatic weapons position. His aggressive leadership at a critical juncture was an inspiration to the officers and men of the battalion, and a major factor in accomplishment of his unit's mission. Entered military service from Seattle, Washington.
Following his retirement from the US Army BG Mataxis served as the Commandant of Cadets at Valley Forge Military Academy at the time the movie TAPS was filmed...His office which was shown in the movie featured many of his personal war souvenirs and captured weapons from three wars...In his 70s by then BG Mataxis later served in Afghanistan as an advisor behind the lines with Afghan forces fighting the Russians...A remarkable soldier whose stellar career covered a period of over 40 years active service in four wars.
Source: https://www.usmilitariaforum.com