William Robert Collins (February 5, 1913 – October 16, 1991) was a highly decorated officer of
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
with the rank of
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
. As lieutenant colonel, Collins distinguished himself as Tank Battalion Commander during
Iwo Jima battle, but he is most noted for his service as commanding general of
III Marine Expeditionary Force
III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is a formation of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps. It is forward-deployed and able to rapidly conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and ...
at the beginning of
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
.
Early career
William R. Collins was born on February 5, 1913, in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, where he studied at Western High School. He graduated in summer of 1931 and enrolled the
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...
, where he graduated in June 1935 with
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University o ...
degree in Foreign Service. While at university, he was a member of
ROTC unit and obtained reserve army commission on June 1, 1935.
He subsequently resigned his reserve army rank in order to accept appointment as Marine Second lieutenant on September 1, 1935. Collins was ordered to
the Basic School
The Basic School (TBS) is where all newly commissioned and appointed (for warrant officers) United States Marine Corps officers are taught the basics of being an "Officer of Marines". The Basic School is located at Camp Barrett, Quantico, Vi ...
at
Philadelphia Navy Yard
The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard was an important naval shipyard of the United States for almost two centuries.
Philadelphia's original navy yard, begun in 1776 on Front Street and Federal Street in what is now the Pennsport section of the ci ...
for further officer training. With 124 students, it was the largest Basic School class to that date. This class provided two future
Marine Corps Commandants (
Leonard F. Chapman Jr. and
Robert E. Cushman Jr.
Robert Everton Cushman Jr. (December 24, 1914 – January 2, 1985) was a United States Marine Corps General (United States), four-star general who served as the 25th commandant of the Marine Corps from January 1, 1972, to June 30, 1975. He was hon ...
), five lieutenant generals (
Lewis J. Fields
Lewis Jefferson Fields (October 1, 1909 – March 5, 1988) was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of Lieutenant general (United States), lieutenant general. He served with 1st Marine Division (United State ...
,
Frederick E. Leek,
Herman Nickerson Jr.,
William J. Van Ryzin
William John Van Ryzin (April 20, 1914 – July 1, 2002) was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of Lieutenant general (United States), lieutenant general. He is most noted as Headquarters Marine Corps, Chie ...
,
Richard G. Weede), five major generals (Collins,
William T. Fairbourn,
Bruno Hochmuth
Bruno Arthur Hochmuth (May 10, 1911 – November 14, 1967) was a United States Marine Corps major general who was killed in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. He was the first and only Marine Corps division commander to be killed in any ...
,
Raymond L. Murray,
Carey A. Randall) and six brigadier generals (
William W. Buchanan,
Odell M. Conoley
Odell Maurice Conoley (November 9, 1913September 1, 1993) was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of Brigadier general (United States), brigadier general, who is most noted for his service with 2nd Battalion ...
,
Frederick P. Henderson,
Roy L. Kline,
John C. Miller Jr.,
Thomas F. Riley
Thomas Felton Riley (July 6, 1912 – February 19, 1998) was a decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of brigadier general. He is most noted for his service during the Guadalcanal Campaign as the commanding officer of ...
).
Upon the graduation in spring 1936, he was attached to the
5th Marine Regiment at
Marine Corps Base Quantico
Marine Corps Base Quantico (commonly abbreviated MCB Quantico) is a United States Marine Corps installation located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly of southern Prince William County, Virginia, northern Stafford County, and southeas ...
,
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
. Collins was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant in September 1938 and transferred for the instruction at
Army Infantry School at
Fort Benning,
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
where he completed the
tank course in June 1939. He then served as platoon leader and executive officer of 1st Tank Company at Quantico base until March 1940.
He was ordered for the gunnery school on
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...
and following the graduation in May of that year, Collins was appointed commanding officer of the Marine detachment aboard the cruiser
USS ''New Orleans''. Collins was promoted to the rank of captain in October 1941.
World War II
At the time of the
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, ju ...
on December 7, 1941, ''New Orleans'' was in the dock under repair in
Pearl Harbor Navy Yard
Naval Station Pearl Harbor is a United States naval base on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. In 2010, along with the United States Air Force's Hickam Field, Hickam Air Force Base, the facility was merged to form Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam. Pe ...
. Collins took part in the defense of the ship against enemy
dive bombers and later participated in the transporting of troops to
Palmyra
Palmyra (; Palmyrene: () ''Tadmor''; ar, تَدْمُر ''Tadmur'') is an ancient city in present-day Homs Governorate, Syria. Archaeological finds date back to the Neolithic period, and documents first mention the city in the early secon ...
and
Johnston Atolls.
In May 1942, while aboard ''New Orleans'', Collins took part in naval battles of the
Coral Sea and
Midway, before he was ordered to the States in July 1942. Collins was meanwhile promoted to the rank of
major in May of that year and then served as commander of the Tank School,
Camp Elliott under Brigadier General
Matthew H. Kingman. He was promoted to the rank of
lieutenant colonel in June 1943.
Lieutenant Colonel Collins was transferred to
Camp Pendleton
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and is one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the United States. It is on the Southern California coast in San Diego County and is bordered by O ...
in February 1944 and appointed commanding officer of 5th Tank Battalion,
5th Marine Division
The 5th Marine Division was a United States Marine Corps ground combat division which was activated on 11 November 1943 (officially activated on 21 January 1944) at Camp Pendleton, California during World War II. The 5th Division saw its firs ...
under Major General
Keller E. Rockey
Keller Emrick Rockey (September 22, 1888 – June 6, 1970) was a highly decorated Lieutenant General in the United States Marine Corps, who commanded the Fifth Marine Division in the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II and the Thi ...
. Collins took part in the landing exercises on
San Clemente Island off the coast of
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
and subsequently sailed with the 5th Division to
Camp Tarawa
Camp Tarawa was a training camp located on Hawaiʻi Island constructed and used by the 2nd Marine Division during World War II. The grounds of the camp were situated between the volcanic peak of Mauna Kea and Kohala mountain. Marines were sen ...
,
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...
for further training. Once in Hawaii the 5th tank Battalion was transferred to
Schofield Barracks
Schofield Barracks is a United States Army installation and census-designated place (CDP) located in the City and County of Honolulu and in the Wahiawa District of the Hawaiian island of Oahu, Hawaii. Schofield Barracks lies adjacent to the t ...
assigned to the Army's
Chemical Warfare Service
The Chemical Corps is the branch of the United States Army tasked with defending against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons. The Chemical Warfare Service was established on 28 June 1918, combining activities that un ...
CENPAC.
[Chapter: the Bitter End, CLOSING IN: Marines in the Seizure of Iwo Jima, Colonel Joseph H. Alexander, USMC (Ret), History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Washington, D.C., 1994, p.3]
/ref> They were part of a top secret
Classified information is material that a government body deems to be sensitive information that must be protected. Access is restricted by law or regulation to particular groups of people with the necessary security clearance and need to kn ...
inter-service Flame throwing tank development group composed of Army, Navy Seabees and Marines. Units of 5th Marine Division left Hawaii at the end of January 1945, heading to its new target – Iwo Jima. Going with Lt.Col. Collins would be four M4-3A Sherman's with CB-H1-H2 flamethrowers from Schofield Barracks.
The Fifth Marine Division was attached to the V Amphibious Corps
The V Amphibious Corps (VAC) was a formation of the United States Marine Corps which was composed of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions in World War II. The three divisions were the amphibious landing force for the United States Fifth Fleet ...
under Major General Harry Schmidt Harry Schmidt may refer to:
* Harry Schmidt (USMC) (1886–1968), commanded the Fourth Marine Division in the Pacific during World War II
* Harry Schmidt (mathematician) (1894–1951), German applied mathematician
* Harry Schmidt (pentathlete) (191 ...
for the upcoming attack. Collins and his tanks landed early on February 19. Lt. Col. Collins aggressively directed his unit in support of the assault and despite heavy hostile fire, mine fields and terrain obstacles, helped establish the beachhead.
On February 22 when intense enemy mortar fire disrupted communications between the infantry and armor that inflected heavy casualties on the ground troops, Collins dismounted from his tank and under heavy fire established contact with the Infantry Commander. Updated on the situation, he returned to his Sherman and directed tank operations which resulted in the saving of many lives.
Following the capture of Mount Suribachi, General Schmidt ordered a drive north with three marine infantry regiments. For that attack, Schmidt consolidated the M4 Sherman
}
The M4 Sherman, officially Medium Tank, M4, was the most widely used medium tank by the United States and Western Allies in World War II. The M4 Sherman proved to be reliable, relatively cheap to produce, and available in great numbers. It ...
s from all three divisions of V Amphibious Corps: ( 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions) into a regimental sized armored task force with Lt. Colonel Collins as commander. It was the largest concentration of Marine armor in the war. Having only eight flame throwing tanks, he pooled them in two groups and dispatched them from their respective refueling depots. Ground commanders credited Collins flame tanks with being the best support they had in securing the island. All three tank Battalions were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation under his command. Collins received the Silver Star for gallantry on Iwo Jima.
The island was declared secured on March 26, 1945 with the Division ordered back to Camp Tarawa
Camp Tarawa was a training camp located on Hawaiʻi Island constructed and used by the 2nd Marine Division during World War II. The grounds of the camp were situated between the volcanic peak of Mauna Kea and Kohala mountain. Marines were sen ...
, Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...
for rest and refit. The 5th began preparations for Operation Downfall, but the surrender of Japan on August 15, 1945, changed the plans. Nevertheless, the Division was ordered to Japan for occupation duty.
Postwar service
Collins took part in the occupation duties in Kyushu and upon the departure of 5th Marine Division to the United States in November 1945, he remained in Japan and was transferred to 2nd Marine Division
The 2nd Marine Division (2nd MARDIV) is a division of the United States Marine Corps, which forms the ground combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). The division is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Caroli ...
. Collins joined 6th Marine Regiment under Colonel Jack P. Juhan
Jack Phillip Juhan (December 28, 1904 – February 24, 2002) was a decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps, who reached the rank of major general. He is most noted for his service as executive officer of 8th Marine Regiment during the ...
as Regimental Military Governor in Fukuoka
is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since anc ...
. Collins was later appointed Regimental executive officer and returned to the United States in September 1946.
Upon his return stateside, Collins was ordered to San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United State ...
, where he served as Inspector-Instructor of the 11th Reserve Tank Battalion. He was responsible for the training of Marine Corps Tank reservist until August 1948, when he was ordered for Senior Course to the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico. Collins completed the course in May 1949. He then served as operations officer and instructor within Combined Arms Section, Marine Corps Educational Center, Quantico. Collins later served as chief of staff, Landing Assault Section, Landing Force Development Center Quantico and was promoted to the rank of colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
in February 1951.
Collins was ordered for instruction to the National War College in Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, in August 1951 and completed the course in June of the following year. He was then transferred to London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
and attached to the Joint American Advisory Group. Shortly afterward, Collins was transferred to Frankfurt
Frankfurt, officially Frankfurt am Main (; Hessian: , " Frank ford on the Main"), is the most populous city in the German state of Hesse. Its 791,000 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located on it ...
, Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and attached to the Headquarters of newly activated United States European Command
The United States European Command (EUCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers and 51 countries and territories, including Europe, Russi ...
under General Matthew Ridgway
General Matthew Bunker Ridgway (March 3, 1895 – July 26, 1993) was a senior officer in the United States Army, who served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (1952–1953) and the 19th Chief of Staff of the United States Army (1953–1955). Altho ...
. He served as Staff Operations Officer, Policy Branch, Operations Division until August 1954, when he was ordered back to the States.
He returned to well known Marine Corps Educational Center, Quantico as a member of Advanced Research Group, which was tasked with the development of the recommendations on how the MAGTF
Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF, pronounced MAG-TAF) is a term used by the United States Marine Corps to describe the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air-ground, combined ar ...
should evolve structurally to meet the challenges of atomic warfare
Nuclear warfare, also known as atomic warfare, is a theoretical military conflict or prepared political strategy that deploys nuclear weaponry. Nuclear weapons are weapons of mass destruction; in contrast to conventional warfare, nuclear wa ...
and new technologies such as helicopters and jet aircraft.
In August 1955, Collins was transferred to Camp Lejeune
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune () is a United States military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Its of beaches make the base a major area for amphibious assault training, and its location between two deep-water ports ( Wilming ...
, North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
as commanding officer of 2nd Marine Regiment
The 2nd Marine Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Marine Corps. They are based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and fall under the command of the 2nd Marine Division (United States), 2nd Marine Division and th ...
, 2nd Marine Division
The 2nd Marine Division (2nd MARDIV) is a division of the United States Marine Corps, which forms the ground combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). The division is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Caroli ...
under Major General Reginald H. Ridgely. Colonel Collins supervised the landing exercise of regiment at Vieques, Puerto Rico
Vieques (; ), officially Isla de Vieques, is an island and municipality of Puerto Rico, in the northeastern Caribbean, part of an island grouping sometimes known as the Spanish Virgin Islands. Vieques is part of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, ...
, during the beginning of 1956.
Collins was then transferred to the staff of 2nd Division as assistant chief of staff for operations, before he assumed duties as divisional chief of staff during Operation Deep Water
Operation Deep Water was a 1957 NATO naval exercise held in the Mediterranean Sea that simulated protecting the Dardanelles from a Soviet invasion. By controlling this bottleneck in a war situation, the Soviet Black Sea Fleet would be prevented fr ...
in September 1957, NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
naval exercise held in the Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ...
that simulated protecting the Dardanelles
The Dardanelles (; tr, Çanakkale Boğazı, lit=Strait of Çanakkale, el, Δαρδανέλλια, translit=Dardanéllia), also known as the Strait of Gallipoli from the Gallipoli peninsula or from Classical Antiquity as the Hellespont (; ...
from a Soviet invasion. He left 2nd Marine Division in May 1958 and assumed brief duties within Personnel Board at Headquarters Marine Corps
Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions. The function, ...
. He was ordered to the staff of Marine Corps Schools, Quantico one month later and served as president of Marine Corps Tactics and Techniques Board within Landing Force Development Center.
A highlight of his career came in November 1959, when he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
and appointed director of the Development Center. He remained in that capacity until February 1961, when assumed duty as chief of staff, Joint Task Force 4, Atlantic Command at Fort Monroe
Fort Monroe, managed by partnership between the Fort Monroe Authority for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the National Park Service as the Fort Monroe National Monument, and the City of Hampton, is a former military installation in Hampton, Virgi ...
, Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, Collins was transferred to Guantánamo Bay, Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
, and commanded all Marine Ground Forces for eight weeks. He then served as Task Force commander from August to November 1963 and meanwhile received Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Th ...
Degree at George Washington University
The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Chartered in 1821 by the United States Congress, GWU is the largest Higher educat ...
in June 1963.
He was appointed deputy chief of staff, Atlantic Command under Admiral Harold P. Smith in December 1963, and while in this capacity, Collins was promoted to the rank of major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...
on January 1, 1964. For his service during Cuban Crisis and with Atlantic Command, Collins received newly established Joint Service Commendation Medal
The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ...
.
Vietnam War
Collins was ordered to Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
, Japan at the beginning of June 1964 and assumed command of 3rd Marine Division
The 3rd Marine Division is a division of the United States Marine Corps based at Camp Courtney, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler in Okinawa, Japan. It is one of three active duty infantry divisions in the Marine Corps and together with th ...
a few days later. Following the Gulf of Tonkin incident in August 1964, which led to the escalation of Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
, Collins began with the preparation for deployment of his division. He supervised the deployment of first elements of his division to Da Nang, Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
in March 1965 and ordered the construction of Marine Compound at Da Nang Air Base.
General Collins then participated in the meeting with MACV
U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) was a joint-service command of the United States Department of Defense.
MACV was created on 8 February 1962, in response to the increase in United States military assistance to South Vietnam. MACV ...
commander, General William Westmoreland
William Childs Westmoreland (March 26, 1914 – July 18, 2005) was a United States Army general, most notably commander of United States forces during the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1968. He served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from ...
in Saigon and discussed the details of Marine landing at Chu Lai
Chu Lai is a seaport, urban and industrial area in Núi Thành District, Quảng Nam Province, Vietnam. The city is served by Chu Lai International Airport. It is also the site of the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone (Vietnamese: ''Với Khu Kinh T ...
. With the arrival of more 3rd Marine Division units to Vietnam, Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense, that advises the president of the United States, the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council and the ...
ordered the activation of III Marine Expeditionary Force
III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is a formation of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps. It is forward-deployed and able to rapidly conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and ...
on May 6, 1965, and placed Collins in command. He now held simultaneously command of 3rd Marine Division and III Marine Corps.
His units subsequently took part in the first skirmishes with Vietcong
,
, war = the Vietnam War
, image = FNL Flag.svg
, caption = The flag of the Viet Cong, adopted in 1960, is a variation on the flag of North Vietnam. Sometimes the lower stripe was green.
, active ...
in Le My village in Quảng Nam Province. However Collins and his 13-month overseas tour was near to its end and the commandant, General Wallace M. Greene, selected recently promoted Major General Lewis W. Walt as his substitute within III Marine Expeditionary Force. Collins relinquished command to Walt on June 5, 1965, and returned to the United States. For his service in early phase of Vietnam War, Collins received the Legion of Merit with Combat "V"
Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...
.
Upon his return stateside in July 1965, Collins was appointed assistant chief of staff for operations at Headquarters Marine Corps
Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) is a headquarters staff within the Department of the Navy which includes the offices of the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and various staff functions. The function, ...
. At the end of July 1966, he was appointed assistant chief of staff for intelligence
Assistant may refer to:
* Assistant (by Speaktoit), a virtual assistant app for smartphones
* Assistant (software), a software tool to assist in computer configuration
* Google Assistant, a virtual assistant by Google
* ''The Assistant'' (TV seri ...
and remained in that capacity until his retirement. Collins retired from the Marine Corps after 31 years of active service on November 1, 1966, and received his second Legion of Merit for service in that capacity.
Collins died on October 16, 1991, in Richmond, Virginia. He is buried together with his wife Mary Lee Griffith Collins (1914–2003) at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is one of two national cemeteries run by the United States Army. Nearly 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington, Virginia. There are about 30 funerals conducted on weekdays and 7 held on Sa ...
, Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
.
Decorations
This is the ribbon bar of Major General William R. Collins:
Silver Star citation
Citation:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Colonel William R. Collins (MCSN: 0-5182), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity as Commanding Officer of the Fifth Tank Battalion, FIFTH Marine Division in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands from 19 February to 26 March 1945. After landing with his Battalion early on D-Day, Lieutenant Colonel Collins aggressively directed his unit in supporting the assault troops and despite heavy hostile fire, mine fields and terrain obstacles, sided materially in the establishment of the initial beach head. On 22 February when intense enemy mortar fire disrupted communications between the infantry and supporting tanks and caused heavy casualties among the front line troops, he dismounted from his tank and braved the heavy fire to contact the Infantry Commander and establish liaison. Receiving information on the situation, he returned to his vehicle and directed effective tank operations which resulted in the saving of many lives. By his courageous leadership and skilled tactics Lieutenant Colonel Collins contributed materially to the successful accomplishment of the Division's mission and his devotion to duty was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
See also
* Battle of Iwo Jima
References
:
{{DEFAULTSORT:Collins, William R.
1913 births
1991 deaths
People from Washington, D.C.
Walsh School of Foreign Service alumni
George Washington University alumni
National War College alumni
United States Marine Corps generals
United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II
United States Marine Corps personnel of the Vietnam War
Recipients of the Silver Star
Recipients of the Legion of Merit
Burials at Arlington National Cemetery