The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Field Artillery) J. C. Matthews (ASN: 0-1998392), United States Army, for gallantry in action as a member of Headquarters Battery, 37th Field Artillery Battalion, 2d Infantry Division, in action against an armed enemy on 27 September 1950 in the vicinity of Hyopchon, Korea. On the night of that date Lieutenant Matthews, as air observer, was returning from a reconnaissance flight over enemy lines. The artillery liaison officer of a rifle battalion contacted him by radio and informed him that the battalion had been ambushed. Although it was getting dark and the L-16 aircraft in which he was flying was not equipped for night flying, he voluntarily returned over the enemy lines in an effort to locate the enemy artillery pieces which were in defilade to ground observers. Having located the enemy emplacements, he continued to fly over the positions, in spite of intense hostile automatic weapons and small arms fire which by now was directed at him and fully realizing that if the aircraft were disabled while flying at a low altitude he would not be able to glide to friendly lines. As a result of his heroic action he was able to call for and adjust artillery fire upon three enemy artillery batteries and enemy troops. The fire he so ably adjusted completely neutralized all enemy artillery positions and approximately two companies of enemy infantry were dispersed. The gallantry displayed on this occasion by Lieutenant Matthews reflects the highest great upon himself is in keeping with the fine traditions of the military service.