HERE IN HEAVEN WE WILL NEVER FORGET OUR FALLEN SOLDIERS or Those who Died on 9/11.... Feel Free to Shed a Tear While You Listen To The Words of Our Song, Watch The Video's, Read the Comments, Remember Our Fallen and Pray For Our Soldiers Safe Return. ... NEVER FORGET ...What We Have Today and Always Cherish Those Moments.."Because Tomorrow it Can All Be Taken Away". In God We Trust to Lead Us All in the Right Direction. NEVER FORGET
NEVER FORGET in Memory of My High School Friend and Brother
Mike Maltz who always looked out and Protected Me. Remember our Trip to New York City.
Our 30 Year Reunion is here and that's how I had found out about your death looking up the place and date. Now I must let everybody know your here with me now. Imagine I was The Chosen One to Keep Your Memory Alive.
We Will Never Forget You Here Pal! Love You with Many Tears in My Eyes on This Day 6/29/08.
MASTER SERGEANT MICHAEL MALTZ
Graduated 1978 Half Hollow Hills
Branch Air Force
Years served 20+
Killed in a HH60G Pavehawk Helicopter crash in Afghanistan 23 March 2003- MASTER SERGEANT MICHAEL MALTZ 41st Rescue Squadron, Moody AFB. During a humanitarian mercy mission to rescue two injured children in Afghanistan.
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM -- Cols. Tom Trask, 347th Rescue Group Commander and James Scuttina, 106th Rescue Wing Vice Commander, present American flags to the family members of Master Sgt. Michael Maltz. Maltz, from the 38th Rescue Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Ga., was killed when his Pave Hawk helicopter crashed 18 miles north of Ghanzi, Afghanistan, on its way to rescue Afghan children March 23. The funeral took place in Long Island, N.Y., April 3.
Funeral of Air Force Master Sgt. Michael Maltz held at St. Matthew's Roman Catholic Church in Dix Hills, NY. The Church were I attended when I lived in New York.
Michael Maltz
Mike was born in Minneola, Long Island on 19 Sep 1960. There he attended Half Hollow Hills high school and graduated in 1978.
He enlisted in the Air Force 8 Aug 1978. His first duty position was as an apprentice cable splicer assigned to the 1931 Communications Group, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska.
On 17 Dec 80 to 16 Dec 85 Mike was assigned to the 1827 Electronics Installation Squadron, Kelly AFB, Texas. During this period he was recognized as “one of the finest” by his squadron Commander.
Mike cross-trained into pararescue in Dec of 1985. He successfully completed the very difficult and demanding Pararescue Indoctrination Course, Army Special Forces Scuba School, Water Survival, Army Airborne Training, Air Force Survival School, and the Pararescue Recovery Specialist course. He attained fixed wing and rotary wing aircrew qualification and attended an Advanced Combat Tactics Course. Mike was awarded his maroon beret and his hard work and academic excellence led to his selection as class honor graduate.
From 12 Dec 86 thru 19 Nov 89 Mike was assigned to the 55th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron and 1730 Pararescue Squadron, Eglin Air Force Base, FL. Here Mike participated in mountain rescue training in Dahlonega, GA and Project Denali and was selected to represent the unit on the March 89 summit climb of Mt McKinley. He was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal for outstanding achievement near Addis Ababa for search and subsequent recovery of Congressman Mickey Leland and delegation missing on a humanitarian mission in Ethiopia.
From 20 Nov 89 thru 20 Mar 91 Mike was assigned to the 1730 Pararescue Squadron and 71st Rescue Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. Mike received the Air Force Commendation Medal for the rescue of two German climbers stranded at the 20,000 ft level on Mount McKinley level suffering from severe hypothermia and cerebral edema. He treated their injuries and evacuated them to the 17,000-foot base camp. Also during this time frame he was one of eight climbers to summit Mount McKinley at 20,320 ft. His solid leadership was instrumental in the squadron receiving “most improved pararescue facility in rescue” from Headquarters Air Rescue Service. Mike maintained a 4.0 GPA in CCAF Associate degree Applied Rescue Science Program.
From 21 Mar 91 to 20 Mar 94 Mike was assigned to Lackland AFB, Texas as a Pararescue Instructor. He earned the coveted Aerospace Achievement Award and graduated the ATC Command NCO Academy on Lackland as a distinguished graduate. As a line instructor, his proactive vision and professional leadership resulted in record graduate numbers, increasing student accessions 40 percent while decreasing attrition by 10 percent. At the US Army Master Fitness Trainer School at Ft Hood, Texas he won honor graduate award for best academic/physical record and attained the highest PT point total. He was also recognized as the faculty’s best communicator and instructor.
From 21 Mar 94 – 20 Mar 97 Mike was assigned to the 41 Rescue Squadron, Patrick AFB, Florida. Here he was selected as Air Combat Command HC-130P Pararescueman of the year and received the coveted First Fighter Wing “Warrior Award” for his superlative efforts. He also was credited with the saving of two Spanish civilians severely injured while skiing. Mike deployed Saudi Arabia on three separate occasions, totaling more than 8 months, in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH. He was overall Team Leader for 10 successful deployments supporting National Aeronautics Space Administration space shuttle contingency operations. He was awarded the Community College of the Air Force degree in Electronics Systems Technology.
From 21 Mar 97 - 20 Mar 2001 Mike was assigned to the 41 Rescue Squadron, Moody AFB, Georgia. Here Mike refined his functional areas to perfection resulting in error-free findings during the ACC Unit Compliance Inspection.
And on 21 Mar 01 he was assigned to the 38th RQS, Moody AFB, GA. Here Mike was handpicked as the first Joint Search and Rescue Center PJ representative in SWA and was an excellent advocate for combat rescue operations. He was primary jumpmaster and instructor on 25 critical upgrade training flights. He provided emergency medical treatment during a car accident near coalition compound; successfully treating two OSI agents and two Saudi nationals.
Mike was a vital contributor in his unit’s wide-ranging support of the 347th Rescue Wing and Air Force Mission. He’s a cherished father and a truly professional Pararescueman. He is survived by his sons Kyle and Kody; his grandmother, Alice Maltz; his mother, Patricia Iverson; his dad, John Maltz; his sister, Terri M. Strappoli; and his brothers Derek and Richard Maltz.
Master Sergeant Maltz’s awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal (with 1 device), Air Force Commendation Medal (2 devices), Air Force Achievement Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor (3 devices), Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Combat Readiness Medal, Air Force Good Conduct Medal (7 devices), National Defense Service Medal (1 device), Humanitarian Service Medal, Air Force Overseas Long Tour Ribbon (1 device), Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon (5 devices), NCO Professional Military Education Graduation Ribbon (1 device), Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon (1 device), Air Force Training Ribbon.
Crash victims identified
03/25/03 - MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFPN) -- Air Force officials have identified the airmen killed in the HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter crash in Afghanistan on March 23.
The airmen were deployed from here supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Killed in the crash were:
1st Lt. Tamara Archuleta, co-pilot.
Staff Sgt. Jason Hicks, flight engineer.
Master Sgt. Michael Maltz, pararescueman.
Senior Airman Jason Plite, pararescueman.
Lt. Col. John Stein, aircraft commander.
Staff Sgt. John Teal, flight engineer.
Archuleta, Hicks, Stein and Teal were assigned to the 41st Rescue Squadron. Maltz and Plite were assigned to the 38th RQS.
"The Air Force is a close-knit family and the loss of one of our own affects us all," said Brig. Gen. John H. Folkerts, 347th Rescue Wing commander. "We wish to express our deepest condolences to family members of these brave airmen and want them to know that we will not forget the valuable contributions they made to this country and the impact they made on the Air Force."
More Stories about My Friend Master Sgt. Michael Maltz
03/25/03 - OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM -- Army Chaplain (Col.) Richard Rogers leads a prayer March 25 for six airmen killed when their HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter crashed near Ghazni, Afghanistan, on March 23. The helicopter crew was on its way to pick up two Afghan children for treatment in U.S. medical facilities at Bagram Air Base. The remains were being flown to Dover Air Force Base, Del. (U.S. Army photo by Pvt. Terri Rorke)
