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Col. Edward V. Maltese 1920 - 2006 |
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There are, fundamentally, two kinds of warriors, the "avenger" and the "protector." |
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Both of these qualities live as potential within the breast of most young men. Both of these qualities are derived from a love of family, of community and of country. The nurturing and shaping of these qualities in young men, so that they are expressed appropriately and with integrity, is left in the hands of but a few devoted, skilled and "experienced" warriors. They understand how to emphasize and guide the development of this potential to the best advantage of the society it is his duty to defend, by imparting the requisite knowledge and skills so the welfare of the warrior himself would not be compromised. |
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Colonel Edward Maltese was just such a devoted, skilled and experienced warrior. He understood the needs of his society and how to bring out the best instincts of the warrior that lives within young men, so the welfare of our country's citizens would be protected and maintained. |
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Colonel Maltese understood that the warrior must learn to embrace the ways in which mainstream citizens live their lives and love their families, community and country, because it was his chosen duty to defend these ways on their behalf. He understood that the warrior lives and loves a bit differently than those he defends. He must cultivate in himself an even greater sense of responsibility, self-reliance and integrity. |
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Colonel Maltese was a man and a warrior who not only understood and lived these qualities, but who also devoted his entire life to imparting them to those whom it fell to him to prepare for this sacred and honorable duty. He understood that professional warriors are not necessarily born that way, but need to be nurtured, shaped and trained in order to maximize and bring out the best of these latent aspirations and potentials. |
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Colonel Maltese, or "Malt", as he was affectionately known in later years by those who served with him and under his command, whose lives he helped to shape, either directly or indirectly, by the military concepts he helped introduce, was a warrior's warrior, as is evidenced in his military record and by the achievements listed there. He was largely responsible for the creation of the Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol Companies, his beloved "LRRPs." They were the incorporation of the various intelligence gathering strategies and infiltration methods in which we all had a part, and which so deeply influenced and affected each of our characters, both as fellow warriors and as fellow citizens who are now similarly protected by those who now embrace these concepts. |
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Colonel "Malt" has been given the final "Green Light," and has gone on to that Big Drop-Zone in the Sky, but he is not forgotten, because in the best tradition of those who give the extra measure, who go the extra mile, he left no man behind. |
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AIRBORNE, Sir! See you on the Drop Zone |
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Graduated from Norwich (Vermont) University. Professor was CO of local National Guard unit, 172nd Infantry, HQ Co 2nd Bat, in which Maltese served as a runner. |
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1942 - Attended Officer Basic at Ft. Riley, KS |
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1943 - FortBenning jump school, assigned to the 505 PIR of the 82d Airborne |
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1943 - Sent to Northern Ireland as 2LT, Platoon leader in H Co. 505 for a lot of "hard training," practice capturing bridges, PT, etc. |
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6 June 1944 - Jumped into St. Mere Eglise |
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Also participated in: |
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Holland (Market Garden), Battle of the Bulge, Berlin (with Gavin) |
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After war - States w/82d @ Ft. Bragg |
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August 1946 - to Frankfurt w/508th, as platoon leader. (508 was strictly ceremonial, honor and color guards) - met Jane, married in 1947 in Frankfurt. |
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1948-50 - Ft Knox, KY to the UMTE (Universal Military Training Experiment) as 1LT, Company Commander |
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Sept 1950 - Sent to Korea with the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team, as a Company Commander. Learned he made Captain while enroute. Combat jump. |
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Nov 52 - to Ft Bragg to the 714 Tank Battalion, then to 10th SF under LTC Aaron Bank, who started the SF. |
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To Bad Tolz, Germany with the 10th Special Forces thru 5/56 |
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5/56 - 5/57 in Berlin with handpicked SF, as "security platoon". |
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5/57 - 5/60 Ft. Monroe, VA as head of Airborne Test Boards (troops were at Ft.Bragg) |
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Helped start military free fall operations with Jock Istell, a civilian who was a free-faller, Gen Gavin, and Hal Moore. |
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8/60 - 7/61 7thArmy. While there, formed the VII Corps and V Corps USA LRRP Companies (ABN) |
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7/1/61-7/1/62 Commanded VII Corps USA LRRP CO (ABN). Promoted to LTC. |
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7/1/62-5/63 8th Infantry, Bad Kreuznach as Battalion commander and Airborne Brigade Exec |
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5/63 - 7/64 Commander 68th Armor, 8th Inf. Div (on jump status as Division officer) |
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7/64 - Pentagon as SF Division Chief |
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1967 - Ft Belvoir, VA as Dir of Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Night Operations |
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1968 - to VN as Director of Target Acquisitions - 18 mo |
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1970 - Ft Belvoir - Combat developments command Retired Jan, 1972 |
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1972 - BDM (Defense Contractor) - Sr. VP - 18 years. Ret 1990 |
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January 26, 2006 - Deceased |
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;VII Corps LRRP Co, ( ABN ) Association |
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