“It is my duty, as a member of the Air Rescue Service, to save life and to aid the injured. I will be prepared at all times to perform my assigned duties quickly and efficiently, placing these duties before personal desires and comforts. These things I do that others may live.”

Pararescueman Killed in Action

Air Force Master Sergeant Michael H. Maltz was assigned to the 38th Rescue Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. He was deployed to Afghanistan in support of the Global War on Terrorism when he was killed in action on March 23, 2003. On that date, an HH-60G, call sign Komodo 11, crewed by Lt Col John Stein (pilot), Capt Tamara L. Archuleta (copilot), SSgt Jason Hicks (flight engineer), MSgt Michael Maltz (PJ), SSgt John Teal (gunner) and  SRA Jason Plite (PJ) crashed while on a medical evacuation mission in Afghanistan. Michael Maltz was the Pararescue team leader on the alert Pave Hawk helicopter. The helicopter was enroute to medevac a couple of seriously ill children. The HH-60 was doing a night, low level, air refueling at 350 feet AGL when it unexpectedly disconnected from the tanker and impacted the terrain. The six crewmembers were fatally injured and the helicopter was destroyed. The cause of the crash was never positively determined; but an autopsy performed on the pilot found that the main artery to the aircraft commander’s heart had a 95-percent blockage. The accident investigation board could not determine whether he possibly was having chest pains, an irregular heart beat, or possibly even a heart attack. Mike was born in Minneola, Long Island on September 19, 1960. There he attended Half Hollow Hills High School and graduated in 1978.   He enlisted in the Air Force August 8, 1978. His first duty position was as a cable splicer assigned to the 1931 Communications Group, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. Mike cross-trained into Pararescue in December 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 December 12, 1986 thru November 19, 1989 Mike was assigned to the 55th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron and 1730th 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 1989 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 November 20, 1989 thru March 20, 1991 Mike was assigned to the 1730th 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 March 21, 1991 to March 20, 1994 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 frontline 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 March 21 1994 to March 20, 1997 Mike was assigned to the 41st 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 March 21, 1997 to March 20, 2001 Mike was assigned to the 41st 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 March 21, 2001 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 Southwest Asia 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.   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. He was a career military man, a poster boy for the Air Force who was pictured on the cover of a recruitment pamphlet for the Pararescue group. He traveled all over the world on different missions and lived on bases in Alaska, Florida, Texas and Georgia. He liked that lifestyle. He also loved to skydive, ski and climb mountains. Maltz had two sons, Kyle, 14, and Cody, 11, who live with his former wife, Beverly Maltz, in Seattle. Maltz's other survivors include his parents, Patricia Iveerson of St. Petersburg, Fla., and John Maltz of Las Vegas; brothers Rick Maltz of Hampden, Maine, and Derek Maltz of Succasunna, N.J. Master Sergeant Maltz was interred at the Long Island National Cemetery, New York.
The crew of Komodo 11 being flown back to USA	Interment ceremony
Long Island National Cemetery, New York	Komodo 11 News Article   News Articles   Mike's Son Remembers His Dad