Mike was raised on his family’s farm in Toledo, Illinois, and graduated from Cumberland High School in 1966. In high school, he was active in the Future Farmers of America and enjoyed attending racecar events.

He was drafted into the U.S. Army as a medic in January 1968. After completing basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and medical training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, he was sent directly to Vietnam due to a shortage of medical personnel. There, he was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division.

On April 4, 1969, during an attack on his unit, Mike exposed himself to enemy fire to treat a wounded soldier. He was mortally wounded in the effort. For his heroism, he was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the nation’s third-highest combat decoration.

Mike’s legacy lives on through his family, friends, and fellow soldiers, and through a stretch of Route 121 between Toledo and Greenup, Illinois, named in his honor.