Bertram A. Maas

  
Col. BERTRAM ARTHUR MAAS,  USMC (Ret.) (Age 79)  
Colonel Bertram Arthur Maas USMC (Ret.) passed away on Saturday, May 28, 2011 of lung cancer. Bert was born on June 14, 1931 to Lt. Col. Arthur B. Maas and wife Charlotte in Omaha, Nebraska. Raised in St. Paul, Minnesota, he graduated from St. Thomas Military Academy and attended the United States Naval Academy graduating in 1953 and becoming a 2nd Lt. in the U.S. Marine Corp. Two years after meeting on a train coming from Chicago, he married Charlotte Ann Hiser of Bethesda, Maryland on June 9, 1953. They became the parents of six sons, John (Wendy), Michael, Curtiss (D.), Charles, Stephen, and Brad. Bert was also the proud grandpops of John Henry, Jennifer, Bryan, Jessica, and Nicholas Maas. He also leaves behind his beloved sister Jean Schiefelbein of Eden Prairie, MN and many nieces and nephews.  Following flight training at Pensacola, FL, and Corpus Christi, TX, Bert became a fighter pilot. He attended the US Naval Post graduate School Monterey, CA and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He later transitioned into helicopters and one of his career highlights was a tour in HMX-1, flying Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy. He commanded gunships squadron VMO-6 in Vietnam for which he received the bronze and silver stars. Bert's final three years on active duty in the Marine Corp. was as the CO of Marine Aircraft Group 49 at Willow Grove, PA flying A4's and CH53s. After retirement Bert enrolled in George Mason School of Law and was admitted to the bar in 1986. He enjoyed boating and spending time at his beach cottage in Emerald Isle, NC, with his family. He and wife Charlotte were married for 57 years and were residents of Vienna, VA for over forty years.  Relative and friends are invited to Bert's Life Celebration at Money and King Funeral Home, 171 W. Maple Ave., Vienna, VA on Thursday, June 2, 2011 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. A funeral service will be held at a later date in Fort Myer Old Post chapel immediately following will be interment in Arlington National Cemetery.