WASHINGTON, DC – A fallen Rhode Island soldier who was killed in the line of duty is being honored with a U.S. Post Office being renamed after him.
President Joe Biden has now signed a bill into law naming the U.S. postal facility located at 42 Main Street in Slatersville, Rhode Island, as the “Specialist Matthew R. Turcotte Post Office.”
Turcotte, of North Smithfield, was killed in August of 2017 during a live-ammunition training exercise at Fort Carson in Colorado while serving with the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division.
The legislation (S. 566), authored by U.S. Senator Jack Reed and cosponsored by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse in the Senate and authored in the House by Congressman David Cicilline and cosponsored by Congressman Jim Langevin (H.R. 1552), officially names the postal facility after the fallen soldier, who grew up near the post office that will bear his name and played high school football just four miles down the road. The bill was approved by Congress earlier this month.
Matthew Turcotte was a lifelong resident of North Smithfield. He enlisted in the U.S. Army while attending North Smithfield High School (NSHS), where he was a co-captain on the football team. After graduating from NSHS in 2015, he reported for basic training at Fort Benning in Georgia and began his military career.
Turcotte was just 20 years old when he was tragically killed during a training accident on August 23, 2017. During his time in the military, he deployed overseas once, to Kosovo. Spc. Turcotte earned numerous awards and medals for his service, including: the Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, and NATO Medal.
“We are forever grateful for Matthew’s service and sacrifice for our country,” said Reed, Whitehouse, Langevin, and Ciciline in a joint statement.
Matthew Turcotte is buried at Inman Family Cemetery in Burrillville. He is survived by his widow, Megan, his parents, Raymond and Liza, his sisters, Kayla and Paige, and an extended family of loved ones.
Now that the bill has been signed into law, the U.S. Postal Service, the Congressional Delegation, and Slatersville officials will schedule a special ceremony and plaque dedication this spring.
Chip Unruh (Reed), 202-224-4642
Meaghan McCabe (Whitehouse), 401-453-5294
Matt Fidel (Langevin), (202) 631-1010
Jennifer Bell (Cicilline), (202) 365-0827
