Matthew Salamon

Matthew "Matty" Salamon was born on October 31, 1924 and lived most of his life in Mamaroneck, NY. Matty passed away on April 6, 2014 at his home in Danbury, CT. He is survived by his son, Andy Salamon and his wife, Nan of Killington, VT; his daughter, Pamela Clark and her husband, Edward, of Danbury, CT; his daughter Valerie Salamon of Harrison, NY; and grandchildren: Betsy Paynter and her husband, Brad, of Newtown, CT; Matthew F. Salamon and his wife, Abbey, of Doylestown, PA; Bonnie Jean Dos Santos of Florida; Drew Brent of North Carolina; Amanda Clark and Robert Clark of Danbury, CT. He is also survived by great grandchildren Althea Paynter, Grenville Paynter, Mia Salamon and Zoe Salamon. Matty was predeceased by his wife of fifty-one years, Bonnie Lou Salamon and a son, Matthew J. Salamon.

Matty was a member of the greatest generation. He grew up during the great depression and joined the Navy when he was sixteen years old. He was a "Tin Can Sailor," serving on three different US destroyers. As a crew member of the USS Murphy, he saw the action during the invasion of North Africa and the invasion of Italy. The USS Murphy also escorted convoys across the North Atlantic. In the fog in the Atlantic Ocean, the USS Murphy was cut in half by a British tanker. During the melee he pulled crew members to safety from a life boat. For a brief time he served on his second ship, the USS Allen M. Sumner. He transferred to the USS Van Valkenburgh, a Fletcher Class, high speed destroyer that saw action in the Pacific at Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and other battles. At Iwo Jima, his ship stood picket duty, shooting down many attacking Japanese Kamikazes airplanes. He entered Nagasaki, Japan two weeks after the atomic bomb to pick up Ally POWs.

After his Navy service he worked in Westchester County as a laborer and upon retirement he became a crossing guard at Murray Avenue School in Larchmont, NY, for nearly ten years. As a boy, he caddied at the Winged Foot Golf Course and was a member of Boy Scout Troop 2 in Mamaroneck. Later, as an adult, served Troop 2 as a committeeman.

He was a member of the Mamaroneck United Methodist Church for more than fifty years and later attended the Danbury United Methodist Church.

A memorial service will be held at the Danbury United Methodist Church at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to New Fairfield Senior Center, 33 State Route 37, New Fairfield, CT 06812.