2006 Leftwich Trophy for Outstanding Leadership
Captain Matthew W. Tracy was born on 16 October 1974, and raised in Hartford Ct. In 1997 he graduated from Vanderbilt University after studying communicative philosophy and was subsequently commissioned a Second Lieutenant. After graduating The Basic School and attending Infantry Officers Course, he was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines at Camp Lejeune, NC from April 1997 to June 2001. During this time, Captain Tracy served as rifle platoon commander and a rifle company executive officer. He completed one LF6F Mediterranean deployment with the 26th MEU in 1999, where he served as a guard force commander for Camp Hope in Fier, Albania, a 16,000 Kosovarian refugee camp. He was a rifle platoon commander in Gujilane, Kosovo for the AMTRAC company where he conducted sustained urban operations. Lastly, he was a platoon commander for the humanitarian relief effort in Ismir Turkey after their magnitude eight earthquake. As an executive officer for Kilo Company 3/8, he participated in Special Purpose MAGTF Vieques, conducting detention operations while clearing the eastern range area of protesters. He finished his time with 3/8 as the captain of their rifle/pistol team and supervising the training of his company’s 2nd Super Squad title in his 3 years. In June 2001, Captain Tracy executed PCS orders to the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force in Indian Head Maryland.
Just prior to September 11th, Captain Tracy attended the Radiological Incident Command and Control Course at Kirkland Air Force Base. He attended numerous other courses and schools in his 3 years, becoming the honor graduate from Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Chemistry, Physics and Micro Biology WMD course. During the Anthrax attacks in the Capitol on October 3rd 2001, Captain Tracy served as the S-3a. By January he was the assistant mission commander for the Hart Building clean up on Capitol Hill. In June of 2002, he assumed command of the Reaction Force Company, leading the pre-staged WMD defense for numerous targeted events such as Presidential State of the Union addresses and the G-8 Conference in Georgia. In February 2004, Captain Tracy was the Mission Commander during the Ricin attack at the Longworth Building on Capitol Hill. Captain Tracy also supervised company sized training events in live chemical, biological and radiological contaminated areas in Suffield, Alberta Canada, Naval Weapons Center, Dahlgren Virginia and Kirkland Air Force Base, New Mexico.
In June of 2005, Captain Tracy graduated in the top 5% of his class at the Expeditionary Warfare School and immediately reported to 2nd Battalion 3rd Marines for the impending deployment to Afghanistan in support of OEF VI. As the Battalion Plans Officer, Captain Tracy planned or assisted in eight battalion level operations. Captain Tracy served as a forward battalion fire support coordination center officer during Operation Whalers, the battalion’s most kinetic operation. On 1 February 2006, he took command of Echo Company and is currently serving as Battle space Commander in Haditha, Iraq. Captain
Tracy’s awards and medals include the following: the NATO Medal, the National Defense, Service Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (3 bronze stars), the Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon, the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, the Humanitarian Service Medal (with 2 bronze stars), the Kosovo campaign medal (with 3 bronze stars), the Korean Defense Service Medal, the GWOT Service Medal, the Joint Meritorious Unit Award Ribbon, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (with 2 Gold Stars), the Navy Commendation Medal.
In 1997 Captain Tracy married the former Mary Cahill Anders of Evansville, Indiana. They now have two young ladies, Lillian (4) and Mary (2)
2006 Leftwich Trophy Winner, Captain Matthew W. Tracy
