Dean Angus Matlock was born on June 16th, 1923 in Rosalia, Washington. Dean’s family lived in the Debolt area having moved from the United States. In 1938, Dean moved to Washington to live with his grandfather to go to high school. Dean joined the U.S. Navy, he served on the USS Bismark Sea, an aircraft carrier. His parents would have to listen to the radio to get updates since the US military was very isolated in their information sharing. One evening the radio announced that the “USS Bismark Sea has been sunk”, the report went on to say that it was sunk by Japanese planes full of TNT. In due time, Dean’s parents heard word that Dean had survived. He had been in the water for two hours and had severe burns on his hands from the flash fire. Only three hundred and fifty sailors survived the tragedy. Dean married Lucille who was from California and they had three children. He later died of cancer on August 26th, 1969 in Woodland, California at the age of 46.
- Bridges to the Past, 2001, p 296 & 297