Army Sgt Pedersen was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. Pedersen was killed when his UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed in central Iraq. Michael and his girlfriend, Chanel, started dating in high school in Flint, Michigan. Around 1996, he decided to join the military because he wanted to support his newborn daughter. At the time he was still in high school and working at a Long John Silver's restaurant. Immediately after graduating Michael joined the Army and intended to make the military his career. His assignments included the Bahamas and Bosnia. He was deployed to Kuwait in January 2003. Michael was a practical joker, a basketball lover and a hero to his younger siblings. He was a quiet person and an excellent soldier.

Army Sgt Pedersen was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. Pedersen was killed when his UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed in central Iraq. Michael and his girlfriend, Chanel, started dating in high school in Flint, Michigan. Around 1996, he decided to join the military because he wanted to support his newborn daughter. At the time he was still in high school and working at a Long John Silver's restaurant. Immediately after graduating Michael joined the Army and intended to make the military his career. His assignments included the Bahamas and Bosnia. He was deployed to Kuwait in January 2003. Michael was a practical joker, a basketball lover and a hero to his younger siblings. He was a quiet person and an excellent soldier.