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6 September 25, 2015 www.aerotechnews.com/marcharb
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National Hispanic Heritage Month

(from the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute) schools begins at Coral Way Elementary School in Marine Master Sgt. Juan J. Valdez
Miami. The experimental program serves as a mod-
Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic el for Congress in its 1968 passage of the Bilingual who endured one of the longest periods (over eight
Heritage Month from 15 September - 15 October Education Act. years) as a prisoner of war, is released. He was the
to celebrate the contributions of American citizens first pilot to be downed and detained during the Viet-
whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Ca- - The Supreme Court reverses the conviction of nam War.
ribbean, Central America, and South America. Daniel Escobedo, ruling that the police violated his
constitutional rights by refusing his request for a - Master Sergeant Juan J. Valdez, the noncommis-
This year’s theme, “Hispanic Americans: Energiz- lawyer. This verdict lays the foundation for the Mi- sioned officer in charge of the Marine security guard
ing Our Nation’s Diversity,” was chosen by the Na- randa decision requiring police to inform suspects of detachment at the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, is the last
tional Council of Hispanic Employment Managers their rights. U.S. serviceman to leave Vietnam.
and invites us to reflect on Hispanic Americans’ vi-
tality and meaningful legacy in our Nation’s cultural - Rose Franco is the first female Puerto Rican
framework. Chief Warrant Officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. She
is later named Administrative Assistant to Paul Hen-
America’s diversity has always been one of our ry Nitze, the Secretary of the Navy.
nation’s greatest strengths. Hispanic Americans have
long played an integral role in America’s rich culture, 1970s
proud heritage, and the building of this great nation. - Nancy Lopez becomes the first golfer to win the
Rookie of the Year Award, Player of the Year Award,
The Beacon recognizes and honors a long and and Vare Trophy in the same season. She will be-
proud heritage through the years. In this issue, the come the first woman to receive the Frances Ouimet
1960s and 1970s. Award for lifelong contributions to golf.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is founded
1960s to provide Hispanic congressmen and senators the
- Horacio Rivero Jr. becomes the first Puerto Ri- opportunity to strengthen roles of Hispanics at all
can and Hispanic four-star Admiral, and second His- levels of government.
panic to become a full Admiral in the modern U.S. - Roberto Clemente becomes the first Puerto Ri-
Navy. can baseball player to be named to the Hall of Fame.
- West Side Story is made into a film; the role He will serve later on fourteen all-star teams, and
of Anita goes to Rita Moreno, who takes home an will become one of sixteen players to have 3,000 hits
Academy Award for her performance. during his career.
- Juan “Chi Chi” Rodriguez, who found his way - Romana Acosta Bañuelos becomes the nation’s
into golf as a caddy, becomes the first Puerto Rican 34th treasurer and the first Latina in the position in
and first Hispanic golfer to win the Denver Open. U.S. history. She is also a founding member of Ex-
He will become one of professional golf ’s all time ecutive Women in Government.
greats. - Everett Alvarez Jr., a U.S. Navy Commander
- The first bilingual education program in public

Katrina survivor reunites with pararescueman

by Senior Airman Callie McNary roney and his team, from their perch
452 AMW public affairs
in the rescue helicopter, saw a small
Staff Sergeant Michael “Mike”
Maroney, 66th Rescue Squadron, family on the roof of their home flag-
Nellis AFB Air Force Base, Ne-
vada, hovered over a maelstrom of ging for help. Strapped in and ready
water, debris, and human suffering
in the wake of Hurricane Katrina on to go, the non-commissioned officer
Sept. 6, 2005. New Orleans, Loui-
sianna, the once flamboyant city, was lowered to rescue the family.
was then ground zero for impover-
ished refugees and Maroney, who What he didn’t know was that a three-
felt detached from their cries, had
spent the previous six days pulling year-old girl, LeShay Brown, would
out coma victims, families with no
place to go, and refugee drop offs rescue him.
at the Federal Emergency Man-
agement Agency (FEMA) camps The little girl wrapped herself
around the sinking city.
around him as he began to pull her to
Maroney was overwhelmed with
the human condition there, not made safety. Piercing the fog of his deploy-
easier due to his recent deployment to
Afghanistan. “I had come back from ment, and this mission, was Brown’s
a bad deployment, real bad,” he said.
”We didn’t pick up anyone alive.” bright smile. Once in the helicopter,

On this 7th day of the mission, Ma- the frightened child wrapped herself

around Maroney, giving him a giant

hug. A combat photographer captured

the private moment, which became

a symbol to the country of heroism

amidst devastating circumstances.

To Maroney, the moment carried so Courtesy photo

much more meaning. A combat photographer captures a golden moment as Staff Sergeant Michael “Mike”
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“When we were going to drop her

off she wrapped me in a hug…that old LeShay Brown after rescuing her from a rooftop, Sept. 6, 2005, in the aftermath
was everything. Time stopped,” Ma- of Hurricane Katrina. Ten years later, Maroney and Brown reunite. Maroney said it
See REUNION page 9 was Brown and her smile who rescued him that fateful day ten years ago.