. ▁The ▁regiment ▁gained ▁later ▁international ▁recognition ▁following ▁the ▁publication ▁of ▁Stephen ▁Am bro se ' s ▁book ▁Band ▁of ▁Brothers . ▁Major ▁Richard ▁" D ick " ▁Winter s , ▁who ▁was ▁celebrated ▁in ▁the ▁Tom ▁H anks - produ ced ▁H BO ▁min is eries ▁based ▁on ▁Am bro se ' s ▁book , ▁said ▁of ▁Sal ve ▁Math es on , ▁" No ▁veter an ▁who ▁served ▁in ▁E asy ▁Company ▁had ▁a ▁more ▁distinguished ▁military ▁career ." ▁ ▁He ▁began ▁his ▁assignment ▁with ▁the ▁regiment ▁in ▁E ▁Company ▁as ▁a ▁pl ato on ▁leader ▁and ▁was ▁soon ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Battalion ▁staff . ▁He ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁regiment al ▁staff ▁before ▁the ▁D - Day ▁invas ions . ▁Several ▁days ▁after ▁drop , ▁Math es on ▁was ▁wounded ▁by ▁German ▁mort ar ▁fire ▁while ▁organ izing ▁a ▁machine ▁gun ▁assault ▁in ▁French ▁h ed ger ows ▁on ▁June ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁On ▁June ▁ 1 5 ▁he ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Com bat ▁Infantry man ▁Bad ge . ▁After ▁recover ing ▁from ▁his ▁inj uries ▁he ▁par ach uted ▁into ▁Holland ▁and ▁was ▁later ▁awarded ▁the ▁Bron ze ▁Service ▁Ar row head ▁for ▁particip ating ▁in ▁Operation ▁Market ▁Garden . ▁ ▁Math es on ▁was ▁bes ie ged ▁with ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 0 1 st ▁Air bor ne ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Maj . ▁Gen . ▁Anthony ▁Mc A ul iffe ▁at ▁Bast ogne . ▁During