Teacher Describes Fallen Altoona Soldier As Natural Leader

A Marine from Blair County killed in the war in Afghanistan was being remembered in his hometown Wednesday.

Matthew Ingham was a 2002 graduate of Altoona High School.

One of Ingham’s former teachers described him as a bright student with a magnetic personality. Leanne Sidney said because of that, students at the Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center were naturally drawn to him.

Sidney said Ingham was natural leader, so it was no surprise to her when he told her he was joining the Marine Corps. After he graduated, she and her students adopted Ingham’s platoon in Iraq and sent him letters and care packages.

Ingham served two tours in Iraq before going to Afghanistan. Some of his classmates from the previous school year returned to class after Ingham left for his first tour of duty.

“When those juniors came back as seniors the following fall, Matt was deployed to Iraq and that really impacted the class,“ Sidney said. “He'd been sitting in class with us in June and the next fall he was off fighting for his country.”

Sidney said Ingham also like riding his motorcycle and told her that was his way of relaxing. He had also recently married his eighth-grade sweetheart.

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Previous Stories: January 13, 2010: Altoona Marine Killed In Afghanistan