The Collection

The October 27 Archive currently contains 839 objects and is regularly being expanded with more material. The archive includes flyers and programs from community gatherings held since the October 27 attack, a comprehensive collection of news coverage about the day of the event, oral history recordings reflecting a diverse array of experiences, and historical documentation about the Jewish experience in Western Pennsylvania.

Using this archive

You can view all the materials currently included in the archive using the browser below. Each object has been described and cataloged to help you discover materials, learn about these materials, understand the context in which these materials were created, and draw connections between different materials. You can refine the browsing experience using various filters, including creator, type, and subject. Some of these filters have already been used to create preset galleries, each organized around specific aspects of the archive. You can also look for specific words and phrase found in the archive using a keyword search.

 

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object

Medal of Valor

Award medal attached to light blue ribbon and housed in blue velour jewelry box. Design of medal features City of Pittsburgh crest.

Historical Notes

The Medal of Valor is the highest honor issued by the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. It is awarded to "sworn members who distinguish themselves by performing an act of exceptional courage and bravery above and beyond the call of duty," often involving extreme personal risk. At the H. John Heinz Police Awards ceremony on November 1, 2019, the bureau awarded the medal to the four Pittsburgh Police Department officers who were injured while responding to the October 27 attack: Anthony Burke, Tim Matson, Daniel Mead, and Michael Smigda. Officer Matson was the most severely injured of the four officers and spent weeks in the hospital following the attack. He was being treated in the same facility as Dan Leger, a member of Congregation Dor Hadash who was also gravely injured in the attack. After learning that one of the injured officers was recuperating in a nearby room, Leger set a personal physical therapy goal: to re-learn to walk well enough to visit the officer. After meeting in the hospital, the two men subsequently became friends. Following the award ceremony, Matson gave his Medal of Valor to Leger, as a gesture of gratitude. The two men donated the award to the Rauh Jewish Archives in a public ceremony on May 16, 2021.

Use and Reproduction
Donor Information
Item
Medal of Valor
Donor
Dan Leger and Tim Matson
Subjects
Pittsburgh Bureau of Police

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