Army Staff Sgt. Jorge M. Oliveira

Died October 19, 2011 Serving During Operation Enduring Freedom

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33, of Newark, N.J.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 113th Infantry Regiment, 50th Brigade Combat Team, Riverdale, N.J.; died Oct. 19 in Yahya Khel, Paktika province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

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N.J. guardsman killed in Afghanistan

The Associated Press

NEWARK — An Army National Guardsman from Newark, N.J., has been killed in Afghanistan.

The Guard says 33-year-old Staff Sgt. Jorge Miguel Oliveira was killed Wednesday when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.

Oliveira was assigned to the Security Forces Platoon of the 2nd Battalion, 113th Infantry Regiment. The Riverdale-based unit deployed to Afghanistan in June and was assigned to a provincial reconstruction team.

Oliveira joined the National Guard in 2003. He had served three years on Army active duty starting in 1997.

He is survived by his mother and father and a brother and sister.

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Funeral held for NJ soldier killed in Afghanistan

The Associated Press

NEWARK, N.J. - It was standing room only at Newark's Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Friday as hundreds of police and soldiers showed up for the funeral of a New Jersey National Guardsman killed in Afghanistan.

Staff Sgt. Jorge Oliveira, who was also an Essex County Sheriff's detective, was killed by an improvised explosive device.

The 33-year-old native of Portugal and Newark resident joined the National Guard in 2003.

Oliveira was assigned to the Security Forces Platoon of the 2nd Battalion, 113th Infantry Regiment. The unit deployed in June.

At the Mass, Gov. Chris Christie called the fallen solider "an American patriot committed to the great virtues and principles of our country."

Christie first met with Oliveira's family last week at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware when his body was flown there.