Army Sgt. Michael Ollis Awarded Posthumous Medal of Honor

Army Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis, a Staten Island native who sacrificed his life during a Taliban attack in Afghanistan, has been posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military decoration, more than a decade after his death.

Ollis, then 24, died on August 28, 2013, while serving with Bushmaster Company, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, at Forward Operating Base Ghazni. During the assault, a suicide bomber charged toward an already wounded Polish Army 2nd Lt. Karol Cierpica. Ollis positioned himself between the bomber and the officer, using his body as a shield. The explosion killed Ollis but saved Cierpica's life and protected more than 40 military and civilian personnel nearby. Cierpica later honored Ollis by naming his son Michael.

The Ollis family learned of the award's approval during a personal phone call from President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening. Robert Ollis, Michael's father, described the moment as "extremely happy, but also sad," adding, "It's like bittersweet. We were very happy that the president recognized Michael's sacrifice." His sister, Kimberly Ollis-Losciavo, called the news "appreciation, bittersweet,...