The case was described by the station's correspondent in the USA, Paweł Żuchowski. The reporter quoted a Polish captain in In short, the terrorists broke into the base and we started resisting them there. Michael is definitely a hero. What's more, I think he's my brother too. I realized this right after the attack and I am still convinced that the brotherhood in arms allows me to say this, said Karol Cierpica to RMF FM.
When is the Michael Ollis award ceremony scheduled?
Who was the president who informed Michael Ollis' family of the award?
What was Karol Cierpica's role during his third mission in Afghanistan?
What happened during the attack on the Ghazni base in 2013?
He covered a Polish soldier with his body. The highest honor after death
Michael Ollis' family received the news of being awarded the highest US military decoration from the White House. The call was made by President Donald Trump. The date of the ceremony has not been set yet.
Karol Cierpica still maintains contact with the family of the American soldier. He met Michael Ollis's parents in 2013.
In Afghanistan, he was saved by a young American
Lt. Karol Cierpica served in the army for 20 years. He was, among others, three times in the mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina after the end of the war in Yugoslavia as part of the “Partnership for Peace” program, at a time when Poland aspired to membership in NATO structures.
He also deployed three times to Afghanistan as part of the NATO operation ISAF (International Security Assistance Force), organized after the 2001 attack on the World Trade Center in New York. Its goal was to maintain peace in Afghanistan and destroy Al-Qaeda bases. The military operation took place under Article 5. North Atlantic Treaty Organization. ISAF included, among others: Polish Military Contingent.
During his first two stays in Afghanistan, Lt. Karol Cierpica commanded a unit of sharpshooters. During his third tour, he worked as an operations officer in a tactical operations center. It was the 13th rotation of the Polish Military Contingent. Lieutenant Cierpica's second and third missions were at the Polish-American Ghazni military base in Afghanistan.
Read more about his story and meeting Michael Ollio's parents.
