Staten Island Community Holds Vigil For Fallen Soldier
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A Staten Island community is coming together to mourn the loss of a local hero.
Hundreds of people gathered in Great Kills at a massive vigil for Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis on Wednesday night.
The 24-year-old soldier was killed in Afghanistan last week after his unit was attacked by insurgents.
Ollis's family said he died living out his dream, in a job he loved, fighting for our country.
Ollis's father served in Vietnam. Family members said he wanted to follow in his footsteps.
Ollis was an infantryman in the 10th Mountain Division's 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team based at Fort Drum in northern New York.
Ollis joined the Army in August 2006. After serving in Germany and Fort Campbell in Kentucky, he arrived at Fort Drum in November 2011. He previously had done tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. His unit was deployed to Afghanistan in January.
This was Ollis' third deployment overseas. He was supposed to return home this fall.
Ollis is survived by his mother and father.
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