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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Leader

Honored by:

Lt. Col. Conrad Emanuel Mattson, USAF (Ret), died in San Diego, California on 2 August 2001 at age 82. He was born on 19 June 1919 in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Enlisting in the National Guard, he was with the unit when it was ordered to active duty in September 1940. He served as an enlisted man before applying for pilot training in early 1943, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant and received his wings in 3 November 1943.
Sent to the Pacific Theater, he was initially assigned to the 78th Fighter Squadron, 15th Fighter Group, in January 1944, but subsequently was reassigned to the 21st Fighter Group's 531st Fighter Squadron. Flying a P-51D, he scored one victory - a Zeke - before the war ended.
In November 1951, Mattson, by then a captain, was assigned to the 355th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, flying F-86 Sabrejets out of Kimpo Air Base, Korea. Over a five-month period, from 5 December 1951 to 30 April 1952, he was credited with destroying four scores from two wars.
Following his return to the States, he served in a variety of command and staff assignments. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with six OCLs and the Air Force Commendation Medal, he retired from the Air Force on 1 January 1970.