World War II Honoree

Walter Lloyd George Collins

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Kaw City, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

HAD A WIFE AND THREE CHILDREN AT THE TIME HE ENTERED MILITARY SERVICE. SERVED AS A PILOT ABOARD C-47 'SKYTRAIN' TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 438TH TROOP CARRIER GROUP, 53RD TROOP CARRIER WING, 9TH AIR FORCE. STATIONED AT RAF GREENHAM COMMON IN ENGLAND UNTIL HIS UNIT MOVED TO FRANCE IN FEBRUARY, 1945. THERE, HIS UNIT OPERATED FROM AIRFIELDS A-79 AT PROSNES AND B-48 AT AMIENS/GLISY. PARTICIPATED IN THE NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, RHINELAND, ARDENNES-ALSACE (BATTLE OF THE BULGE), AND CENTRAL EUROPE CAMPAIGNS. HIS GROUP DROPPED THE FIRST PARATROOPERS DURING THE AIR ASSAULT PHASE OF THE D-DAY INVASION AT NORMANDY, FRANCE IN JUNE, 1944. SUPPORTED OPERATION MARKET-GARDEN, THE ALLIED AIRBORNE OPERATION IN THE NETHERLANDS, AND PERFORMED AIR SUPPLY MISSIONS DURING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE, INCLUDING AT BASTOGNE, BELGIUM. OFTEN FLEW MISSIONS OVER ENEMY TERRITORY, SUBJECTED TO ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE, TO DROP PARATROOPERS AND SUPPLIES, TOW GLIDER AIRCRAFT, EVACUATE CASUALTIES, AND HAUL FREIGHT. HIS GROUP EVACUATED ALLIED PRISONERS OF WAR AFTER VICTORY IN EUROPE DAY (V-E DAY) WAS ANNOUNCED. AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL. AUTHORIZED THE PRESIDENTIAL (DISTINGUISHED) UNIT CITATION FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM IN ACTION BY HIS GROUP AT NORMANDY, FRANCE ON JUNE 6-7, 1944. CONTINUED IN U.S. AIR FORCE SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF MAJOR. ISSUED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL BUTTON.