The legacy of a U.S. soldier who gave his life to save Polish comrade

Employees Sgt. Michael Ollis knew from an early age he wished to be a soldier, identical to his father who had served in Vietnam.

However Ollis’ want deepened with the Sept. 11, 2001, assaults on New York Metropolis, a surrogate hometown for the Staten Island native. That calling to serve would lead Ollis into among the most intense fight of the current wars and an episode that may lead to a Distinguished Service Cross and Poland’s highest honor for an allied soldier.

Writer Tom Sileo has chronicled the exploits of assorted heroes of the International Warfare on Terrorism in 5 nonfiction books in just a little greater than a decade.

These tales embrace the heroism of Medal of Honor recipient Florent Groberg, three brothers who served as a Navy SEAL, Inexperienced Beret and Marine, two U.S. Naval Academy classmates and buddies killed in battle and Marine Maj. Megan McClung, the primary feminine academy graduate to die in fight because the college’s founding.

In his lately printed sixth e-book, “I Have Your Again,” Sileo tells Ollis’ life story, what led him to hitch within the wake of the 9/11 assaults, and what stored him serving as headed out for a 3rd fight deployment — one which in the end took his life. On that tour in Afghanistan, Ollis saved the lifetime of a Polish soldier he barely knew and have become a form of nationwide hero in that nation.

On Aug. 28, 2013, whereas serving with 2nd Battalion, twenty second Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Fight Workforce, tenth Mountain Division, Ollis was at Ahead Working Base Ghazni, Afghanistan when attackers detonated a 3,000-pound automobile bomb earlier than an enemy power assaulted the bottom.

Ollis despatched his group to get their gear whereas he ran towards the blast website with one journal in his rifle and no physique armor. As soon as there he discovered Karol Cierpica, a lieutenant with the Polish Military. Cierpica had been wounded by shrapnel to his leg, and Ollis shortly moved him to an space with different troopers who have been returning fireplace. As Ollis and Cierpica reached the place, an enemy grenade landed and exploded, additional wounding Cierpica. As Ollis rendered first support, the final surviving enemy fighter rushed their place. The attacker was sporting a suicide vest.

Ollis stood up and shielded Cierpica from the blast, saving the lieutenant’s life at the price of his personal.

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Sileo spoke with Military Instances lately about his work writing navy tales, the significance of documenting the narratives of International Warfare on Terror veterans and his most up-to-date e-book.

*Editor’s Notice: This Q&A has been edited for size and readability.

Q: You’ve written loads about International Warfare on Terror veterans. Why has this been vital to you?

A: I simply attempt to inform as many tales as I can about our troops, veterans and their households to assist Individuals keep in mind the nice women and men who stepped ahead to serve and positively those that made the final word sacrifice to verify we always remember what they did for our nation and our households.

Q: How did you study Employees Sgt. Ollis’ story and determine to jot down a e-book about him?

A: About 10 years in the past I bought in contact with Employees Sgt. Ollis’ sister, Kimberly. She had learn a earlier e-book of mine and reached out to inform me that she thought it was a great e-book and that her brother had simply been killed in Afghanistan. On the time I used to be writing a syndicated weekly column concerning the sacrifices of our troops. I mentioned I’d like to interview her and discover out extra about her brother’s life. She instructed me how her brother had died to save lots of the lifetime of a Polish soldier, which actually struck me. Having been uncovered to a number of tales concerning the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, this was the primary time I had heard of an American sacrificing his personal life to save lots of a international soldier. I wrote a chunk about him however over time I all the time thought there was extra of a narrative to inform. And his story mentioned loads, not solely a few technology of heroes and about alliances which are so essential, are much more important now than they’ve been most likely because the Chilly Warfare. The truth that Michael might forge a bond in just some minutes with a soldier from a unique nation that he’d solely simply met after which be keen to face between him and a suicide bomber, it simply mentioned loads to me.

Q: Throughout the six books you’ve written about people in these conflicts, have some themes emerged?

A: If there’s one frequent thread, I believe it’s selflessness, the truth that each topic of each e-book that I’ve ever written wished to serve, to save lots of lives. They wished to serve for the courageous man or lady subsequent to them, or for his or her households. Definitely, in Michael’s case. There’s a line within the e-book close to the funeral and a few household and buddies have gathered on the Ollis residence on Staten Island and an ex-girlfriend of Michael’s was there and she or he mentioned, “you recognize, it simply hit me that that is what Michael lived for, all of his family and friends being collectively.” I believe that actually sums up this technology of volunteer warriors who raised their fingers and swore to defend our nation and went to those faraway locations in order that the remainder of us didn’t need to.

Q: What worth have you ever discovered for the people you’ve interviewed and shared their tales?

A: Michael’s father was a Vietnam veteran, he by no means actually talked about it together with his son till Michael joined the Military. I believe one of many touching issues concerning the story is the best way they bonded and Michael actually helped him with a few of his demons from Vietnam by sharing among the tales from Afghanistan and asking his dad’s recommendation. I believe veterans ought to preserve telling their tales. It’s so important that we move on tales like Employees Sgt. Michael Ollis’ and different tales I’ve had the privilege to assist inform the subsequent technology as a result of sooner or later in time, after they’re referred to as upon to protect our freedom, I believe it’s vital that they learn about those that got here earlier than them.