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First Montanan killed in Iraq an MSU grad

By NICK GEVOCK Chronicle Staff Writer

With the number of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq steadily rising, it was only a matter of time until the news hit home.


 Last week 1st Lt. Edward Matthew Saltz, a 27-year-old from Bigfork and Montana State University graduate, was killed in Baghdad when a roadside bomb went off near his Humvee.

The blast killed another U.S. soldier and an Iraqi translator, and wounded two other American soldiers.

Saltz's death made Montana the last state to record a combat death in Iraq, according to the Associated Press.

Saltz attended MSU on an ROTC scholarship and earned a bachelor's degree in finance with honors in May, 2001.

MSU Business College associate professor Clark Maxam said Monday he'd just learned of Saltz' death on Christmas Eve. Maxam said although he didn't know the reserved Saltz well, the finance department is fairly small and familiar.

"By the time these guys all graduate, we know them all and they know each other," Maxam said. "I'm sure there will be a lot of fellow students who will be sad to hear about it."

Maxam remembered Saltz, who went by Matt, as a quiet young man who was serious about his studies. He said they had discussed his career options after Saltz finished his military service.

Just a month ago, Maxam said he'd sent out an e-mail message to a group of MSU finance graduates. Saltz replied, saying he was happy to get some news from outside of Iraq.

At the time, Maxam didn't know Saltz was serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Maxam said he sent Saltz an e-mail back, telling him how proud everyone here is of the people who are serving in the military in Iraq.

The last e-mail was a quick note from Saltz thanking Maxam for the encouraging words.

Although he didn't know Saltz, Maj. Dan Irwin, a U.S. Army ROTC instructor, said when people know someone killed in war it drives home how much people are willing to give up to serve their country.

"It makes it much more real, knowing somebody who went over there and (made) the ultimate sacrifice," Irwin said.

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