World War II Honoree

Harlan Ward Collar

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Mason, Michigan

Honored By

Barbara Collar Hansen & John Collar

Relationship

Children

HARLAN COLLAR TRAINED AIR FORCE G.I.'S TO MAINTAIN AND REPAIR RADAR EQUIPMENT IN PARIS AND FRANCE. HE WAS BASED IN PARIS. HE AND HIS GROUP TRAVELED THROUGHOUT PARIS AND FRANCE TO TRAIN THE G.I.'S IN A RED CROSS AMBULANCE. THIS WAS THE ONLY TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE TO THEM. HE WAS IN LONDON DURING ONE OF THE BLITZES. THEY WOULD GO TO LONDON FOR BATHS AND TO GET WARM. THERE WAS NO HEAT IN FRANCE AND HE WAS HORRIBLY COLD ALL THE TIME. WHEN THEY WERE ORDERED HOME, THEY HAD TO FIND THEIR OWN TRANSPORTATION. HARLAN COLLAR AND 5 OTHERS FLEW TO AN AIRPORT NEAR BOCA RATON, FLORIDA SLEEPING ON THE FLOOR OF AN AIR FORCE FREIGHT PLANE THAT THEY HAD BOARDED IN ITALY. HE ATTAINED THE RANK OF MAJOR IN THE AIR FORCE.