Michael was a patriotic young man who proudly carried the American flag in parades. He enjoyed playing chess and participated in every sport offered at the LaRosa Boys Club in his hometown of McKeesport, Pennsylvania. He hoped to return one day as a youth counselor.

In 1965, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in Operation Masher, one of the earliest offensives against the North Vietnamese. A man of faith, he assisted chaplains during Mass and became known as the battalion chaplain’s right-hand man. His comrades nicknamed him “Priest.” On February 22, 1966, Michael was killed by sniper fire.

He was one of twenty-three graduates from his high school who died in Vietnam. His legacy lives on: each Memorial Day and Veterans Day, he and his fellow fallen graduates are honored in ceremonies attended by family and friends.