An extraordinary ceremony took place at the White House, during which the President of the United States, Donald Trump, posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Michael Ollis. The 24-year-old soldier was killed in 2013 in Afghanistan while shielding the wounded Polish soldier Karol Cierpica with his own body.
An Extraordinary Ceremony at the White House
In his speech, the American leader emphasized that Ollis was “a very brave man.”
He added that “you never truly know whether someone is courageous and brave until they face this kind of situation, it was the ultimate test.”
In the final moment, he fired his weapon as the terrorist detonated his vest. The sergeant was killed just before his 25th birthday. “That was his final act on this earth. Michael took the blast upon himself and saved that Polish warrior,” he stated.
During the ceremony, Karol Cierpica, the Polish soldier saved by the American serviceman, also spoke.
“This ceremony is very important to many people, but it is truly important to me. It is a great honor and my obligation, part of a mission that began 13 years ago. You are not a soldier only from time to time. You are a soldier forever. Just as one is not a mother, father, brother, or sister only for a moment. These are not roles given for a short time. Today I would like to commemorate the deed performed by your beloved son, Michael,”
he said.
Addressing the parents of the fallen American, he added: “Please forgive me if my words do not fully convey what I truly feel today. Sometimes words are not enough.”
“I am deeply moved, happy, and grateful to God for my service, for my parents, for my family, for my first home in Poland, for my second family from Staten Island, and for my second home in America. God bless you all. Michael, thank you for your service, and I will see you in our heavenly homeland,”
he concluded.
The American Soldier Who Saved a Pole
Michael Ollis was killed on August 28, 2013, when an operational base in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, was attacked using car bombs, suicide vests, indirect fire, and small arms. After the car bomb exploded, a group of attackers wearing suicide vests stormed the base. Ollis first ordered his soldiers to evacuate to a bunker, checked for any wounded, and then ran toward the attack.
He joined Polish officer Karol Cierpica, and together they advanced toward the attackers, without body armor, armed only with rifles. When Cierpica was wounded and unable to move, Ollis shielded him with his own body while subduing an attacker. He then moved toward another assailant, who managed to detonate his suicide vest, fatally wounding the 24-year-old American soldier. Despite his death, his act saved the Polish officer’s life.
Trump on Nawrocki: “A Wonderful President”
During the ceremony, Donald Trump also spoke about Polish President Karol Nawrocki and the importance of Polish-American relations.
“President Karol Nawrocki is a wonderful man. I supported him, and he won. It was the biggest story in Europe. We are here to honor the blood and sacrifice that helped strengthen Polish-American ties. Our relationship is excellent,”
he said.