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2nd Lt Robert Matyasz graduated from Riverside High School in 1939. He was employed at the Motor Acceptance Corp.

He joined the Air Corps of the U.S. Army Reserve in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 21 May 1942.

Statement of Cpt Maurice R. McLary:
"I was leading yellow flight, Lt Matyasz was flying yellow 2. In the vicinity of Namur, Belgium, we received a few bursts of flak at 10,000 feet. The time was about 1310 hours. At about 1330 hours, I called and asked Lt Matyasz how his gas was. He said he had 70 gallons left. Previous to this time, I had noticed he was leaking gas and told him to try another system, cross-feed, or change tanks to stop the leakage. He said he had tried everything but could not stop the leak.
I had him fly straight and level while I inspected his ship. The gas was pouring from the right, bottom, and rear of his gondola. I checked his gas consumption, which seemed to be about 10 gallons a minute. At the point he told me he had 70 gallons, I noticed the time. I re-checked after two minutes, and he told me he had 50 gallons. I then directed him to turn south from Enghien (20 km southeast of Bruxelles), Belgium, and told him to bail out. A few minutes later, Maj McAuley called and asked him if he had bailed out. He said, 'No, I'm going to ride her till she quits.' Several pilots in the group called over to him and gave him their best wishes. The last we saw of him, he was headed south."

On 14 August 1947, his remains were found, 20 feet deep in a swamp in Santes, France. He was identified by two ID tags.