Uncle Matty Comes Home

Category: Stories

The Jim MacMahon Letters

The Jim McMahon LettersUncle Matty's Best Friend Uncle Matty’s best friend in the Army was Jim McMahon. Jim was the quiet reserved guy and Matty was the life of the party. They were a perfect fit as best friends. Both enlisted and volunteered to be paratroopers on October 14, 1942. Both served in the 82nd [...]

The Axe Murder Incident – Almost Going to War Over A Tree

110th Military Police CompanySouth Korea 1976 For those of us who served in South Korea in 1976, we have two chapters of our experience. One is the pride of accomplishing our mission to protect the amazing people of South Korea while getting to know and love them. Our second chapter in August 1976 was almost [...]

How My Mom Felt

Uncle Matty is my childhood hero. When his D-Day rifle was located in March 2016, I felt an obligation and a calling to tell his story. Telling that story consumed me and took over my life. The result was an 18-month journey to write my book “Uncle Matty Comes Home.”…

Meeting Rock Merritt – Mr. 508th

I had the honor and pleasure of meeting Retired Command Sergeant Major Kenneth “Rock Merritt” at the 2016 Friends and Family of the 508th PIR reunion. It was the thrill of a lifetime to meet and talk with “Mr. 508th” as he is affectionately known. I look forward to seeing Rock again at this year’s reunion in October at Fayetteville, N.C. Rock had this to say about our beloved Uncle Matty

Uncle Matty the Mitch Miller of WWII

Entertaining our troops is so valuable and a huge morale booster. Every era has musicians that donate their time to support our soldiers. Having served overseas in South Korea, I know first-hand how important it is to be able to go to a concert, sing-a-long, have some laughs and lots of fun. Mitch Miller, Bob Hope, and Gary Sinise are just a few names that come to mind as soldier’s favorites.

My Hero General Collet

Brigadier General Patrick Collet, Commanding Officer, 11th Parachute Brigade, my hero and friend for life. General Collet located Uncle Matty’s historic rifle and moved heaven and earth to bring it back home to our family.

Born to be Airborne

Uncle Matty at Rockaway Beach, NYC in 1939. Notice the dog with him, my whole family loved dogs. Matty was in rock solid shape from playing all the New York City street games that would define him as “Born to be Airborne”

My Father Mickey Pictures 5a & 5b

My Father Mickey, all around tough guy from the streets of the Irish South Bronx. Love his beer and dogs! At McSherry’s Pub on 138th Street and Alexander Avenue, with my brother Jackie and his beloved Dalmatian Spanky. In WWII Mickey would be shot down, captured, and serve 9 months in the POW Camp Stalag Luft 3. This is the POW Camp from which the movie the Great Escape was made. Famous for saying “Let’s take it outside”

Matty’s Family

Father Richard, Mother Nora, Brother Jimmy, Sisters Ann and Francie. An Irish American Family growing up in the South Bronx, aka the 33rd county of Ireland. Living through the great depression, World War II and everything else the world threw at them.

Two Martin’s of the Greatest Generation

Uncle Matty – Martin Teahan and my father Martin Farrell represent the Greatest Generation. One was a Paratrooper who would die in combat, the other a Bombardier who would spend 9 months in a POW Camp, but survive. I would never understand my father, and later in life get to know the Uncle Matty very well, both would shape my life.

 
 

Uncle Matty’s Irish South Bronx

Uncle Matty smoking a cigarette while flirting with the girls in 1940. Behind his right shoulder is his best friend Peter Donahue. Matty was famous for his singing, dancing, and being the life of the party.