Matthew Perry (naval officer)

Matthew Calbraith Perry (April 10, 1794 – March 4, 1858) was the Commodore of the U.S. Navy who forced the opening of Japan to the West with the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854, under the threat of military force.

Miscellany

• Perry's middle name is often misspelled as Galbraith.
• Among other mementos, Perry presented Queen Victoria with a breeding pair of Japanese Chin dogs, previously owned only by Japanese nobility.
• A replica of Perry's US flag is on display on board the USS Missouri (BB-63) memorial in Pearl Harbor, HI. It is attached to the bulkhead just inboard of the Japanese surrender signing site on the port side of the ship.