COL Matthew Dalton

COL Matthew Dalton sat down with me for Heroes I Know. Fifty-four minutes. Army and air defense. Hotel room. Quiet sign-out.

Portland, Connecticut. The other Portland. Along the Connecticut River. Small town. Small high school. Older sister. Younger brother. Parents still there.

Brother and uncle in the Marines. Another uncle a Huey pilot. Norwich University in Vermont. Military college. He did not know why he went. Good friends. Then one Army. Air defense was not a first choice. He did not even know what it was. The Marines in college never talked about it.

The old lieutenant colonels and colonels still had that pride. Back in the day we were organized, equipped, good. He carries that. Brigade attention. Thank you, sir. That is why we hit record. Get the story on tape before we are too old or too sick to tell it.