Matocha Info

To all: attached for your information and distribution to your chapter members, and to everyone interested in the successful recovery of USMC Lieutenant Matocha's remains, missing in action in Vietnam for three decades, to his family in central Texas. The recovery operation is documented in a film entitled "An Ocean Away" created and produced by the husband and wife team of Pat and Cheryl Fries who also created the documentary "In the Shadow of the Blade". "An Ocean Away" will premier on the Military Channel on Thursday, February 9th at 7:00pm & 10:00pm Central Time and again early Friday, February 10th at 2:00am. John A Miterko VVA Texas State Council

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACTS: Arrowhead Films Cheryl Fries 512-328-0099 cfries @ arrowheadfilms.com Military Channel Barbara Cvrkel 240-662-2928 Barbara_Cvrkel @ discovery.com AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER REVISITS THE VIETNAM WAR: The Military Channel and Patrick Fries Team Up for Journey of Healing To "An Ocean Away." AUSTIN, TX: Documentary filmmaker Patrick Fries, whose idea to fly a restored UH-1 "Huey" helicopter to Vietnam veterans became the award-winning film "In The Shadow of The Blade," has revisited the Vietnam War--this time on the battlefield. Fries' new Vietnam War documentary, "An Ocean Away," will debut on The Military Channel Thursday, February 9th at 8:00 ET. "An Ocean Away" follows the return of U.S. Marine Donald Matocha's remains, missing for three decades, to his Central Texas family, and the subsequent journey of his sisters to the battlefield in Vietnam where he died. Accompanied by Marine veterans from Matocha's patrol and the helicopter pilot who rescued them, Loretta Matocha Eiben and Linda Matocha Masur retraced the steps of the Marine reconnaisance patrol known as "Team Dallas Girl" to the top of Dong Ma Mountain near the former DMZ. “This was a miracle for our family,” Linda Masur said. Donald Matocha was killed in action on Dong Ma Mountain on April 5, 1968. A North Vietnamese soldier, Nguyen Van Loc, buried the American and, three decades later, led the United States Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command to the site. The film includes a gripping and emotional battlefield meeting between Van Loc and Matocha's sisters and Marine comrades. "An Ocean Away" also documents the repatriation of LT Matocha's remains from the laboratory in Hawaii where the remains of missing American military personnel are analyzed, identified and prepared for return. "Once again, Patrick Fries captures Vietnam veterans and families with sensitivity and accuracy. This is an incredible story of healing," said Don Dorsey, a former Marine who is now president of the Texas Association of Vietnam Veterans and previewed “An Ocean Away.” Director Patrick Fries and his wife and business partner Cheryl became interested in Vietnam War stories while directing the cross-country exodus of Huey helicopter "091" for "In The Shadow of The Blade," a journey that landed the aircraft and film clips in the Smithsonian Museum of American History and earned awards from the film industry and veteran groups. The Fries' production company, Arrowhead Film & Video, is in production of other Vietnam War documentaries, with anticipated completion in 2006 of "A Touch of Home: The Story of Vietnam's Red Cross Girls" and "Dustoff Heroes: The Air Ambulance Legacy." The Military Channel goes behind the to bring viewers compelling, real-world stories of heroism, military strategy, technological breakthroughs and turning points in history. The network’s slate of series and specials are designed to take viewers “behind the lines” to tell the personal stories of servicemen and women and offer in-depth explorations of military technology, battlefield strategy, aviation and history. The Military Channel also provides access to military personnel and hardware, allowing viewers to experience and understand a world full of human drama, courage, innovation and long-held traditions. For more information, including to view the trailer, visit Arrowhead Films - A World Away and military.discovery.com. To receive updates, join the e-list at www.intheshadowoftheblade.com. To read news, watch http://intheshadowoftheblade.blogspot.com