Matthew Calbraith Perry (April 10, 1794 – March 4, 1858) is a Commodore of the U.S. Navy and commands a number of ships.

He serves in several wars, most notably in the Mexican-American War and the War of 1812.

He plays a leading role in the opening of Japan to the West with the Convention of Kanagawa in 1854.

Perry is very concerned with the education of naval officers and helps develop an apprentice system that helps establish the curriculum at the United States Naval Academy.

With the advent of the steam engine, he becomes a leading advocate of modernizing the U.S. Navy and comes to be considered The Father of the Steam Navy.