Army 1st Lt. Matthew C. Ferrara

Remember Our Heroes

Army 1st Lt. Matthew C. Ferrara, 24, of Torrance, Calif.

1st Lt. Ferrara was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, Vicenza, Italy; died Nov. 9, 2007 in Aranus, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when their patrol was attacked by direct fire from enemy forces. Also killed were Sgt. Jeffery S. Mersman; Spc. Sean K. A. Langevin; Spc. Lester G. Roque; and Pfc. Joseph M. Lancour.

South High grad's Ferrara to get city tribute on Thursday
By Nick Green, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 12/25/2007 10:53:58 PM PST

The city of Torrance will honor fallen soldier Matthew Ferrara at a ceremony Thursday when his name will be inscribed on Veterans Memorial Wall at City Hall.

The public is invited to the event, which begins at 10 a.m. at the corner of Torrance Boulevard and Maple Avenue.

Torrance Boulevard will close from 9:45 to 11 a.m. from Madrona Avenue to Crenshaw Boulevard for the ceremony.

Road closure signs on Torrance Boulevard indicated the event was Friday, but they will be changed to the correct day, officials said.

The 24-year-old Army captain was killed in Afghanistan in November when the foot patrol he was leading was ambushed. Six Afghan soldiers and five others - including 23-year-old Army Spc. Lester Roque, who lived near Carson - of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force died in the attack.

Ferrara was promoted to captain posthumously and buried with full military honors at Rancho Palos Verdes' Green Hills Memorial Park.

Army 1st Lt. Matthew C. Ferrara was killed in action on 11/09/07.