Ollis, Michael Harold

Michael Harold Ollis was born on November 28, 1988, in Staten Island, New York. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2006, following in the footsteps of his father, a Vietnam War veteran. Ollis was assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, based at Fort Drum, New York. He was on his third combat deployment, having previously served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

On August 28, 2013, Staff Sergeant Ollis was part of a unit conducting a dismounted patrol in the Ghazni province of eastern Afghanistan. According to the Department of Defense, the patrol came under attack from insurgent forces using small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades. Ollis was killed during this engagement. A Polish army officer, Second Lieutenant Karol Cierpica, was reportedly wounded in the same attack.

Ollis died during Operation Enduring Freedom, the U.S.-led military campaign in Afghanistan that began in October 2001. By 2013, the conflict was in its later stages, with U.S. and NATO forces focused on training Afghan security forces and conducting counterinsurgency operations. The province of Ghazni remained a contested area with significant insurgent activity.

The Department of Defense announced Ollis's death on August 30, 2013. He was posthumously promoted from Sergeant to Staff Sergeant. His body was returned to the United States, and a funeral service was held at St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Staten Island. He was buried with full military honors at the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Wrightstown, New Jersey.

In 2014, Ollis was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the U.S. military's third-highest decoration for valor, for his actions during the firefight. According to the citation, he was recognized for exposing himself to enemy fire to protect wounded comrades. A street in Staten Island was renamed in his honor, and a foundation was established in his name to support veterans and their families.

Staff Sergeant Michael Ollis was killed during Operation Enduring Freedom (2001–2014). The conflict concluded in December 2014. See the full roster of those killed in this conflict.

Among those documented in the same conflict: Andrews, Evander Earl, Edmunds, Jonn Joseph, Stonesifer, Kristofor Tif, Davis, Bryant Leroy.

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