These three Matras brothers served in World War II. Above left: Joseph A. Matras. On April 4, 1945, Joseph made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. He is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery Memorial in the city of Margraten, Holland. The acorn insignia on his shoulder identifies him as having been a member of the 87th Infantry Division. Tech Sgt. John Matras (above, right) saw action in France. He died in August, 2001, and is buried in the Rittman, Ohio Veterans Cemetery. Below: Leo Matras, an ordnance specialist assigned to the 401st Bomb Squadron/91st Bomb Group at Bassingbourn, England. Leo’s job was to load bombs on B-17’s like the General “Ike” in which he posed. There is another photo of Leo at http://www.91stbombgroup.com/myst30.html.You can see the General Ike’s crew at http://www.91stbombgroup.com/generalike.html, and you can see Corporal Tony Starcer, the B-17 “Nose Artist” who painted the General Ike insignia and many others for the 91st Bomb Group, at http://www.91stbombgroup.com/starcer.html.

Photos Courtesy Larry Matras

Louis Andrew Dzara, a Perryopolis resident, served in the Navy and then the Army during and immediately following World War II. From December of 1946 to October of 1947, he was stationed with the Army in Japan, where he is pictured above.