World War II Veteran; Bronze Star
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Beloved Husband and Father
BRONZE STAR FOR COURAGE AT IWO JIMA
Sgt. Melvin Collins, Moberly Negro, Is Lauded In Citation
For persistency, courage and initiative under continuous heavy enemy fire on Iwo Jima, the Bronze Star Medal has been awarded to Sgt. Melvin M. Collins, Moberly Negro, whose wife, Mrs. Julia Collins, lives at 311 1/2 North Fifth street. Sgt. Collins is the son of Mrs. Rebecca Hatton, 815 Lilly avenue.
Member of the 471st amphibian truck company, Sgt. Collins received the award for heroism in "connection with military operations against the enemy from February 19 to 22, 1945" according to the citation.
"Sgt. Collins led ashore, in the face of heavy enemy fire and difficult beach conditions, a group of five amphibian trucks transporting headquarters and service battery of a Marine artillery battalion. He brought them to the designated battery position and saw that they were unloaded although the area was under enemy observation and fire and some of the vehicles were damaged by machine gun fire."
Made Repeated Trips
"Starting at dawn of the 20th, Sgt. Collins organized his vehicles and led them in convoy to make repeated trips through the day from the ship to the firing batteries with ammunition. On each trip they were subjected to enemy fire. Sgt. Collins left shore in his last vehicle that evening but could not find his ship, his vehicle ran out of gas and drifted approximately five miles to the other screen of destroyers. He was picked up on the morning of the 21st and towed back to the ammunition ship where he took control of his vehicle again."
"That day and the following he made as many trips as possible, hauling loads of ammunition. Two of his five vehicles sunk from the accumulated damage during these days but Sgt. Collins ignored this danger as well as the enemy fire. Sgt. Collins' persistency, courage and initiative were an inspiring example to his men and led them to emulate himself in their endeavor and accomplishments."
Sgt. Collins' outfit was attached to the Fifth Marine Division for the assault on Iwo. Its mission was to land and place in firing position the 105 howitzer guns of the famous Marine Division. The Dukes (Collins' outfit) were then to keep the guns supplied with ammunition by shuttle trips from ship to gun position. His unit carried out this mission successfully despite the fact they were subjected to extremely heavy enemy fire," according to the officially released story.
(Moberly Monitor-Index, Moberly, MO, 06 Oct 1945, Sat, Page 5)
******************************
Beloved Husband and Father
BRONZE STAR FOR COURAGE AT IWO JIMA
Sgt. Melvin Collins, Moberly Negro, Is Lauded In Citation
For persistency, courage and initiative under continuous heavy enemy fire on Iwo Jima, the Bronze Star Medal has been awarded to Sgt. Melvin M. Collins, Moberly Negro, whose wife, Mrs. Julia Collins, lives at 311 1/2 North Fifth street. Sgt. Collins is the son of Mrs. Rebecca Hatton, 815 Lilly avenue.
Member of the 471st amphibian truck company, Sgt. Collins received the award for heroism in "connection with military operations against the enemy from February 19 to 22, 1945" according to the citation.
"Sgt. Collins led ashore, in the face of heavy enemy fire and difficult beach conditions, a group of five amphibian trucks transporting headquarters and service battery of a Marine artillery battalion. He brought them to the designated battery position and saw that they were unloaded although the area was under enemy observation and fire and some of the vehicles were damaged by machine gun fire."
Made Repeated Trips
"Starting at dawn of the 20th, Sgt. Collins organized his vehicles and led them in convoy to make repeated trips through the day from the ship to the firing batteries with ammunition. On each trip they were subjected to enemy fire. Sgt. Collins left shore in his last vehicle that evening but could not find his ship, his vehicle ran out of gas and drifted approximately five miles to the other screen of destroyers. He was picked up on the morning of the 21st and towed back to the ammunition ship where he took control of his vehicle again."
"That day and the following he made as many trips as possible, hauling loads of ammunition. Two of his five vehicles sunk from the accumulated damage during these days but Sgt. Collins ignored this danger as well as the enemy fire. Sgt. Collins' persistency, courage and initiative were an inspiring example to his men and led them to emulate himself in their endeavor and accomplishments."
Sgt. Collins' outfit was attached to the Fifth Marine Division for the assault on Iwo. Its mission was to land and place in firing position the 105 howitzer guns of the famous Marine Division. The Dukes (Collins' outfit) were then to keep the guns supplied with ammunition by shuttle trips from ship to gun position. His unit carried out this mission successfully despite the fact they were subjected to extremely heavy enemy fire," according to the officially released story.
(Moberly Monitor-Index, Moberly, MO, 06 Oct 1945, Sat, Page 5)
World War II Veteran; Bronze Star
******************************
Beloved Husband and Father
BRONZE STAR FOR COURAGE AT IWO JIMA
Sgt. Melvin Collins, Moberly Negro, Is Lauded In Citation
For persistency, courage and initiative under continuous heavy enemy fire on Iwo Jima, the Bronze Star Medal has been awarded to Sgt. Melvin M. Collins, Moberly Negro, whose wife, Mrs. Julia Collins, lives at 311 1/2 North Fifth street. Sgt. Collins is the son of Mrs. Rebecca Hatton, 815 Lilly avenue.
Member of the 471st amphibian truck company, Sgt. Collins received the award for heroism in "connection with military operations against the enemy from February 19 to 22, 1945" according to the citation.
"Sgt. Collins led ashore, in the face of heavy enemy fire and difficult beach conditions, a group of five amphibian trucks transporting headquarters and service battery of a Marine artillery battalion. He brought them to the designated battery position and saw that they were unloaded although the area was under enemy observation and fire and some of the vehicles were damaged by machine gun fire."
Made Repeated Trips
"Starting at dawn of the 20th, Sgt. Collins organized his vehicles and led them in convoy to make repeated trips through the day from the ship to the firing batteries with ammunition. On each trip they were subjected to enemy fire. Sgt. Collins left shore in his last vehicle that evening but could not find his ship, his vehicle ran out of gas and drifted approximately five miles to the other screen of destroyers. He was picked up on the morning of the 21st and towed back to the ammunition ship where he took control of his vehicle again."
"That day and the following he made as many trips as possible, hauling loads of ammunition. Two of his five vehicles sunk from the accumulated damage during these days but Sgt. Collins ignored this danger as well as the enemy fire. Sgt. Collins' persistency, courage and initiative were an inspiring example to his men and led them to emulate himself in their endeavor and accomplishments."
Sgt. Collins' outfit was attached to the Fifth Marine Division for the assault on Iwo. Its mission was to land and place in firing position the 105 howitzer guns of the famous Marine Division. The Dukes (Collins' outfit) were then to keep the guns supplied with ammunition by shuttle trips from ship to gun position. His unit carried out this mission successfully despite the fact they were subjected to extremely heavy enemy fire," according to the officially released story.
(Moberly Monitor-Index, Moberly, MO, 06 Oct 1945, Sat, Page 5)
******************************
Beloved Husband and Father
BRONZE STAR FOR COURAGE AT IWO JIMA
Sgt. Melvin Collins, Moberly Negro, Is Lauded In Citation
For persistency, courage and initiative under continuous heavy enemy fire on Iwo Jima, the Bronze Star Medal has been awarded to Sgt. Melvin M. Collins, Moberly Negro, whose wife, Mrs. Julia Collins, lives at 311 1/2 North Fifth street. Sgt. Collins is the son of Mrs. Rebecca Hatton, 815 Lilly avenue.
Member of the 471st amphibian truck company, Sgt. Collins received the award for heroism in "connection with military operations against the enemy from February 19 to 22, 1945" according to the citation.
"Sgt. Collins led ashore, in the face of heavy enemy fire and difficult beach conditions, a group of five amphibian trucks transporting headquarters and service battery of a Marine artillery battalion. He brought them to the designated battery position and saw that they were unloaded although the area was under enemy observation and fire and some of the vehicles were damaged by machine gun fire."
Made Repeated Trips
"Starting at dawn of the 20th, Sgt. Collins organized his vehicles and led them in convoy to make repeated trips through the day from the ship to the firing batteries with ammunition. On each trip they were subjected to enemy fire. Sgt. Collins left shore in his last vehicle that evening but could not find his ship, his vehicle ran out of gas and drifted approximately five miles to the other screen of destroyers. He was picked up on the morning of the 21st and towed back to the ammunition ship where he took control of his vehicle again."
"That day and the following he made as many trips as possible, hauling loads of ammunition. Two of his five vehicles sunk from the accumulated damage during these days but Sgt. Collins ignored this danger as well as the enemy fire. Sgt. Collins' persistency, courage and initiative were an inspiring example to his men and led them to emulate himself in their endeavor and accomplishments."
Sgt. Collins' outfit was attached to the Fifth Marine Division for the assault on Iwo. Its mission was to land and place in firing position the 105 howitzer guns of the famous Marine Division. The Dukes (Collins' outfit) were then to keep the guns supplied with ammunition by shuttle trips from ship to gun position. His unit carried out this mission successfully despite the fact they were subjected to extremely heavy enemy fire," according to the officially released story.
(Moberly Monitor-Index, Moberly, MO, 06 Oct 1945, Sat, Page 5)
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