World War II Honoree

Morris Collura

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Lake Charles, Louisiana

Honored By

Andrew Lomonaco and Lawrence Lupo

Relationship

Cousins

ENLISTED NOVEMBER 1942 IN THE ARMY AT LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA. OUTFITTED AT CAMP POLK, LOUISIANA THEN TRANSFERRED TO CAMP KOHLER, CALIFORNIA FOR BASIC AND TECHNICAL TRAINING WITH THE ARMY SIGNAL CORPS. MOVED TO CAMP KILMER, NEW JERSEY AND SAILED APRIL-MAY 1943 TO LAND AT ORAN AND ALGERIA, IN NORTH AFRICA. TRAINED AS A SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR, ANSWERED CALLS IN AND OUT TO ARMY GROUND FORCES AND ARMY AIR FORCES IN HIS AREA. JOINED WITH ALLIES STAGING ON CORSICA TO SUPPORT FORCES FIGHTING IN ITALY, LANDED NEAR ROME AND WAS ASSINGED TO THE 643RD ENGINEER COMBAT BATTALION. AFTER GERMANS SURRENDERED IN ITALY, MAY 1945, HE WAS SENT TO GENOA TO BOARD THE USNS DAVID C. SHANKS, SAILING FOR THE PACIFIC THEATER. TURNED BACK TO THE U.S. AT THE PANAMEA CANAL BECAUSE THE JAPANESE HAD SURRENDERED, ENDING THE WAR. SEPARATED AT CAMP SHELBY, MISSISSIPPI; NOVEMBER 1945, AFTER 2+ YEARS OF SERVICE AS A PRIVATE, EARNING THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL (ROME-ARNO), AND GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL.