Lance Cpl. John J. Mattek Jr., 24, suffered the injuries in a June 8 explosion as part of combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar province, the Pentagon said.Associated Press -- ANTIGO, Wis. — A Marine who was the president of his class three out of four years in high school in Antigo died Monday from wounds he received in Iraq last week, the Department of Defense said.
Lance Cpl. John J. Mattek Jr., 24, suffered the injuries in a June 8 explosion as part of combat operations against enemy forces in Anbar province, the Pentagon said.
Mattek is the 39th Wisconsin service member to be killed in Iraq.
“He was a great kid,†Tom Weix, Mattek’s wrestling coach when he was a high school senior, recalled Monday. “It’s pretty sad. He was a go-getter, definitely a leader.â€
Jill Mattek of Deerbrook, north of Antigo, said her brother graduated from Antigo High School and then attended the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
She said their parents had traveled to Maryland, where Mattek had been flown for treatment. He died in the hospital there early Monday.
Mattek was assigned to the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Regimental Combat Team-2, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force out of Camp Lejeune, N.C., the Defense Department said.
As of Monday, at least 1,701 members of the U.S. military have died since the start of the Iraq war in March 2003, according to the Defense Department.
Antigo High Principal Thomas Zamzow said Mattek played football and wrestled at the school, graduating in 1999. Zamzow coached Mattek when he was eighth-grade quarterback.
“I could tell even then he definitely was a leader and a motivator of the team. He was willing to step up and set a good example,†Zamzow said.
According to Zamzow, Mattek was president of his class when he was a freshman, sophomore and senior. He was a captain of the football team when he was a senior linebacker and was among those in his class voted most likely to succeed.
“He was one of those kids who you appreciated because he was willing to take on responsibility and be a leader,†the principal said.
Weix said Mattek wrestled in one of the heavier weight classes, 160 to 171 pounds, as a senior and made it to the sectionals but didn’t qualify for the state tournament.
“He was one of our strongest kids,†the coach recalled. “He was very competitive. He was a very hard worker. He loved the weight room.â€
Mattek’s younger brother and a cousin now wrestle for the team, Weix said.
After high school, Mattek went to UW-Stevens Point and took just some general classes, Weix said. He made the Pointers football team and played on its special teams, Weix said.
Weix said he saw Mattek last Christmas but they never talked about why Mattek joined the Marines or about his future goals.
“He was a unique individual. He just lived life to the fullest,†Weix said. “He would make a good Marine. If you gave him a job, he would complete it.â€