Matthew W. Bancroft, 29

Marines, Captain

Based: Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif.

Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352

Supporting: Operation Enduring Freedom

Died: January 9, 2002

Mountain near Shamsi, Pakistan

Married, 3 children

Gender: Male

Hometown: Burney

High School: Burney Junior-Senior High (Burney)

Burial: Monterey City Cemetery, Monterey, Calif.

As a child Bancroft vowed he would go to the U.S. Naval Academy and become a flier. The plane he was piloting crashed into a mountainside in Pakistan. An investigation found that the accident might have been prevented if the plane had been equipped with night-vision equipment.

Dwight J. Morgan, 01/19/2002

Brian Cody Prosser, 12/05/2001

Six memories of Matthew W. Bancroft

“

Dearest Matt,
This weekend we celebrated 2 birthdays, Monsoons 64th, and John Baca 61, a Medal of Honor reciepient. We had your beautiful wife and precious Maddie here to be with us. Many Patriot guard riders, veterans and friends came together. One of them, "No Chute" pulled up in with a sound trailer with 100 flags, USMC, Air Force, Navy, Army, state flags, were flying in the air on this trailer and then came the music!! "No Chute" opened his truck door and music from the 60's played. We ate so much food, Maddie and Millie my daughter, played dress-up with make-up till 3 AM! And your wife, sharing her stories, she is so much fun to listen to..oh how I know you are missing them, and they too are missing you. She is amazing and Maddie has the most beautiful, compassionate personality. They stayed the night and I think she could have chatted all night but we are older and we had to get to bed. But she was up bright and early and we just picked up where we left off. She is so much fun and I know we will all be friends forever.
We did not know that 9 January was the date you were taken from us and it was ackward hearing this from Mary Ellen. Some speeches were made towards the end of the night, one on your behalf by myself. I wanted everyone in the room to know about you and to let Maddie know that all the people in the room were her strongest supporters and if they ever needed anything, we are here for them. Although Maddie is so young, it is important that she be able to say, "for as long as I can remember, people have surrounded us with love and support"....that will be true for her life.
You are an American Hero and a treasure, we honor you with the greatest respect for your sacrafice to our Country and with that we will take very good care your your greatest treasures, Maddie and Mary Ellen.
Semper Fi
Chris Mimiaga, Monsoon's wife

” — Chris and Millie Mimiaga, January 10, 2010 at 8:29 p.m.

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Matthew W. Bancroft, 29

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Six memories of Matthew W. Bancroft