CPL Matthew A. Commons, from Boulder City, Nevada, served with the 1/75 Ranger Battalion, A Company from April 4, 2001 until his death on March 4, 2002.

CPL Matthew A. Commons, from Boulder City, Nevada, served with the 1/75 Ranger Battalion, A Company from April 4, 2001 until his death on March 4, 2002.

CPL Matthew A. Commons completed basic infantry training and advanced individual training in the military operational specialty of infantryman at Fort Benning, Georgia. After basic infantry training, he attended a two-week school for the Javelin missile while awaiting his rotation into jump school. He attended Airborne School and Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP) and completed his training at Fort Benning, Georgia. On April 4, 2001, he was assigned to the 75th Ranger Regiment 1st Battalion, 1st Platoon, A Company at Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Georgia. Although he trained as a SAW gunner, Corporal Commons was a M203 Grenade Launcher Gunner while assigned to 1st Battalion.

When 9/11 ripped America’s sense of security apart, there was a foreboding. Matt was hoping to attend Ranger School but instead begin training for war in earnest. December 10, 2001, Matt was given a 10-day pre-deployment leave. He could not tell his family where he was going; just that he was being deployed. A few days after Christmas 2001, the 1st Ranger Battalion, A Company, deployed to Baghram, Afghanistan. Matthew celebrated his 21st birthday in Afghanistan, just two weeks before his death.

Matt was killed while fighting the Taliban and Al-Qaeda during Operation Anaconda, the Battle of Takur Ghar, in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He died March 3, 2002, in combat after enemy gunfire forced down a MH-47 Chinook helicopter, in which he and his fellow Rangers were aboard.

Matt started life in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on February 18, 1981, and lived in Indianapolis, Indiana, Morrison, Colorado, and Boulder City, Nevada, where he called "home". Matt attended most of his grade school and all of middle and high schools in Boulder City.

Playing soccer was one of Matt’s loves, which he started at the age of 5 and continued playing soccer until he graduated from high school. He played basketball for a year in middle school and played floor hockey, roller hockey, and baseball in elementary and middle school. Matt loved roller hockey and spent a lot of time in the penalty box for roughing opponents. He said that hockey was the only sport where you could legally fight and only get a penalty for it. Matt was competitive and loved sports. He loved playing computer and video games. As long as Matt was in the house, there was noise, music, talking and laughter. Matt loved his music and was always singing and dancing.

Matt always wanted to be in the military. He talked about it all his life. In high school he wrote a paper that stated that he owed his country two things: to vote and to serve his country in the military. He was fascinated with special operations and so decided on the Rangers. He wanted action and challenge. After high school, Matt wanted to enlist in the military, but his parents talked him out of it. So he attended the University of Nevada, Reno for a year. He truly enjoyed college life and his freedom—especially snowboarding, and that's why he wasn't invited back after his first year. On July 7, 2000 he enlisted in the Army and selected the path to become a Ranger.

As a Ranger, Corporal Commons distinguished himself as a member of the Army’s premier light-infantry unit and was a highly trained and motivated soldier. He was posthumously promoted to corporal from private first class.

Matt was only with Battalion for a year. But he loved what he was doing, loved his Ranger Brothers, and was extremely proud to be an Army Ranger!

RANGERS LEAD THE WAY!