Wayne Matz

Wayne F. Matz, 85 of Port Orchard, died in Tacoma on July 15, 2010. He was born August 15, 1924 in Bremerton to Oscar & Lillian (Cuney) Matz.  He graduated from Bremerton High School in 1942.  He began his 4 year Outside Machinist Apprenticeship in Puget Sound Naval Shipyard June 19, 1942.   He was drafted in the U.S. Army February 7, 1943.  He completed 17 weeks of Basic Training at Camp Roberts, CA.  He was a Cannonier in the field artillery.  From there he went to Fort Riley, KS for School Trooping(?) officer candidates; demonstrating 105 Howitzer Field Artillery Maneuvers.  He then went to Fort Benning, GA to school-Troop Paratroopers and from there to Fort Meade, MD for overseas duty. He sailed on the Queen Elizabeth to Glasgow, Scotland and then to South Hampton, England.  He then crossed the English Channel to Le Harve, France.  He went by troop train to Luxembourg and joined up with the 86th Black-Hawk Infantry Division.  His division was involved in battles of the Ruhr Pocket and the Rhine River.  He came back with the division from Germany after Germany surrendered.  He had a 15 day "TDY" (Temporary Duty) at home and then on to Camp Pittsburg, CA supposedly to fight the Japanese.  The atomic bombs were dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima as the division was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  The division landed on Tsatangas, Luzon and setup a huge tent camp 13 miles outside of Manila in the Philippines in a blinding rain storm.  The division became occupational troops and Wayne's Headquarters Field Artillery Battery was assigned to guard over 500 Japanese prisoners and help liberate the remaining parts of the area for the local Filipino's. Wayne was discharged as a Buck Sergeant 18 months later, upon his return to Ft. Lewis, WA.  He completed his apprenticeship after discharge as a marine machinist and worked his way up to Shop Planner, Scheduler-Analyst, and finally Planner & Estimator (Machinist Marine).  He was a Planner & Estimator for 28 years and counting army time had 48 years, 5 months & 11 days Federal service when he retired on November 28, 1990. Wayne was involved in many social & fraternal activities during his life.  He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2669 and their honor guard team as the Post Bugler; The American Legion Post 149; Bremerton Valley of the Scottish Rite Mason Lodge; William H. Upton naval Military #206; National Association of Federal Employees; American Association of Retired Persons.  He was a member of the Kitsap County Shrine Club & Nile Center.  He was extremely active with the Shrine for 30 years having received the high honor of the Potentate & Merit Award.  He was a member of the Port Orchard Eagles Aerie 2338; VFW Drum & Bugle Corps (Grenadiers), Clam Island Band & the Carolliers   He was a life member of AMVETS and was the state bugler for The Veterans of Foreign Wars for the State of Washington from 1990 to 1993. He played taps too numerous to count for over 60 years for many military funerals, memorial days, veterans days, ship memoriums and any event he was asked to.  He was honored to perform alone, echo taps, and with his honor guard. He is survived by his wife Helen Mae Hanson Matz; son Lynn (Judy) Franklin; daughters Debra G. and Bridget Ann (Joe) Ballatore; grandsons Christopher Lynn & Keaton Michael; great-grandchildren Taylor & Alex Nederloh; niece Jeri-Lee (Rusty) Flaskerup; stepsons Buzz (Gloria) Pound and Mike Pound; step-daughter Franny Brywa; step-grandchildren Mike Moran & Tammy Nederloh. Celebration of Life at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at Elim Lutheran Church in Port Orchard.  Final Resting Place Island Lake Cemetery in Silverdale