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Generals who rose from the ranks of the 14th Infantry |
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Generals who rose from the ranks of the 14th Infantry |
General Arthur S. Collins Jr.
BIOGRAPHY
Arthur S. Collins, Jr., was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on 6 August 1915. He graduated from Boston Latin School in 1933 and the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1938. On 14 June 1938 he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the infantry in the Regular Army. His first assignment was at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, with the 13th Infantry. In November 1939 he was assigned to Fort Davis, Canal Zone, for duty with the 13th and 14th Infantry Regiments. Lt. Collins insisted on being transferred to the 14th Inf from the 13th Inf when they told him the 13th would be redesignated "Artillery."
He returned to the United States in December 1941 and reported to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where he was assigned to the Battalion Commanders’ Course at Fort Benning, Georgia.
In May 1942 he was assigned to Camp Forrest, Tennessee, for duty as a battalion commander in the 130th Infantry as a battalion commander in the 130th Infantry, as a battalion commander while the 33rd Division moved to Fort Lewis, Washington, to the Desert Training Center, and to Hawaii where General Collins commanded the 1st Battalion of the 130th Infantry on the Islands of Hawaii and Kauai. The 130th Infantry then moved to the Finschaven area in New Guinea, landing in May 1944.
In August 1944 General Collins assumed command of the 130th Infantry. He commanded the regiment through operations on Morotal and Luzon, Philippines, where the 130th Infantry participated in the capture of Baguio and other parts of Luzon. The 130th Infantry then participated in the occupation of Japan, landing there in September 1945. General Collins remained in command of the regiment in the Kobe-Osaka area until the 130th was inactivated in February 1946.
Upon inactivation of the 33rd Division, General Collins returned to Washington, D.C., for assignment to the Army General Staff where he served in the G-1 Division from 1946 to 1948. In June 1948 he was assigned to the Tactical Department, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, where he served as company tactical officer, regimental executive officer, and in 1951 and 1952 commanded the 1st Regiment. In 1952 General Collins began the US Army War College Course at Carlisle Barracks, PA. After graduation in 1953, he was assigned to Headquarters, United States Army, Europe, at Heidelberg, Germany, where he served in the Plans Division of G-3 until January 1954, at which time he moved to the office of the Commander in Chief at that headquarters.
In February 1955 General Collins was designated to command the 10th Infantry of the 5th Division located at Augsburg, Germany, and commanded the regiment until his return to the United States in April 1956. He was then assigned to the faculty of the US Army War College, where he remained until 1959.
In 1959 General Collins returned to the Far East, this time to Korea where he served as Special Assistant for Training to Chief of the US Army Advisory Group, and as G-3 Advisor to the 1st Republic of Korea Army until October 1960. Upon returning to the United States, General Collins was assigned to the J-5 Plans Division of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was nominated for promotion to brigadier general in September 1961 and in November was designated as Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel of the new United States Strike Command which had just been organized at Mac Dill Air Force Base, Florida. He was promoted to brigadier general on 8 April 1962 and was assigned as Chief of Staff and then as Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations of United States Strike Command until July 1963. Having been nominated for promotion to major general in May 1963, General Collins was assigned to the Office of Personnel Operations in Washington, D.C., as Director of Officer Personnel in August 1963, and was promoted to major general on 1 September 1963. He later served a short period as Director of Enlisted Personnel prior to his appointment as Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Operations, Department of the Army in July 1964. In June 1965 General Collins was designed to command the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Lewis, Washington. He deployed the 4th Division to Vietnam in the Summer of 1966 and commanded the 4th INF. DIV. IN Vietnam from September 1966 to January 1967 when he was promoted to Lieutenant General and assigned as Assistant Chief of Staff for Force Development, DA, Washington, DC. He served as ACSFOR until January 1970 when he was designated to command the I Field Force, Vietnam. He commanded the I Field Force, Vietnam from February 1970 to January 1971. In February 1971 General Collins was designated Acting CINCUSAREUR and he served in this capacity until June 1971, at which time he became Deputy CINCUSAREUR and he served in that capacity until his retirement in July 1974.
Gen. Collins died 7 Jan 1984 in Washington, D.C.PERSONAL DATA
Date and place of birth: 6 August 1915, Boston, Mass.
Parents: Father: deceased
Mother: Annie T. Collins
Marriage
Date: 20 November 1948
Wife: The former Naomi Cashmore Wulfsberg
Children: Dennis Charles, Kevin Arthur, and Maureen Ray
Official home address: Alexandria, VA
EDUCATION
Boston Latin School—1933
United States Military Academy—1938 (BS)
The Infantry School Battalion Commanders’ Course—1942
Command and General Staff (equivalent)
Armed Forces Staff College (equivalent)
Army War College—1953
George Washington University –1964 (MA)
CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF PROMOTIONS TEMPORARY PERMANENT
2ND Lieutenant - 14 Jun 38
1ST Lieutenant - 9 Sep 40 - 14 Jun 41
Captain - 10 Oct 41
Major - 1 Feb 42 1 Jul 48
Lt Colonel - 17 Dec 42
Colonel - 18 Mar 45
Lt Colonel - 17 Dec 42 - 1 Jul 54
Colonel - 24 Jun 51 - 14 Jun 63
Brigadier General - 8 Apr 62 - 2 May 66
Major General - 1 Sep 63 - 27 Mar 68
(DOR (DOR)
(1 Sep 59) 22 Nov 67)
Lieutenant General - 6 Jan 67
Retired 31 July, 1974
CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF ASSIGNMENTS FROM TO
13TH Infantry, Fort Devens, Mass. - Jun 38 Nov 39
13th Infantry, Fort Davis, Canal Zone - Dec 39 Jun 40
14th Infantry, Fort Davis, Canal Zone - Jul 40 Dec 41
20th Infantry, Fort Leonard Wood, MO. - Jan 42 May 42
Battalion Commanders’ Course, Fort Benning, GA - Jan 42 Apr 42
CO, 2nd Battalion, 130th Infantry,
Camp Forrest, Tenn - Jun 42 Oct 42
CO, 1st Battalion, 130th Infantry,
Fort Lewis, Wash., Desert TrainingCenter,
Hawaii, New Guinea - Nov 42 Aug 44
Com 130th Infantry, New Guinea, Morotai,
Philippines, Japan - Sep 44 Feb 46
G-1 War Department General Staff, Wash. D.C.
Department of Tactics,
U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. - Jun 48 July 52
U.S. Army College, Carliste Barracks, PA - Aug 52 Jun 53
Plans Branch, G-3 Division HQ. US
Army Europe, Heidelberg, Germany - Jul 53 Dec 53
Assistant DCSOPS for Operation, HQ
USAREUR, Heidelberg, Germany - Jan 54 Jan 55
CO, Infantry Regiment, Augusberg, Germany - Feb 55 Apr 56
Faculty, US Army College, Carlisle Barracks, Pa. - May 56 July 59
Military Assistance Institute - Aug 59 Sept 59
G-3 Advisor, 1st Republic of Korea Army
Wonju, Korea Air Continental Defense Branch,
Joint Chiefs of Staff - Nov 60 Oct 61
J-1, USSTRICOM - Nov 61 May 62
Acting Chief of Staff and Chief of Staff, USSTRICOM - May 62 Sep 62
Asst. Chief of Staff, J-3, USSTRICOM - Sep 62 Jul 63
Director of Officer Personnel, OPO, DA - Aug 63 Jun 64
Director of Enlisted Personnel, OPO, USA - Jul 64 Jul 64
Military Operations, DA, Washington, DC, Commanding
General, 4th Infantry Division, Ft. Lewis Washington
(Vietnam Sep 66) Jun 65 - Jan 67
Assistant Chief of Staff for Force Development, DA,
Washington, DC - Jul 64 Jun 65
Commanding General, 4th Infantry Division, Ft Lewis,
Washington (Vietnam Sep 66) Jun 65 - Jan 67
Assistant Chief of Staff for Force Development, DC - Jan 67 - Jan 70
CG I Field Forces, Vietnam - Feb 70 - Jan 71
Acting CINCUSAREUR - Feb 71 Jun 71
Deputy CINCUSAREUR - Jun 71 Jul 74
LIST OF DECORATIONS
- Distinguished Service Medal w/3 Leaf Clusters
- Silver Star
- Legion of Merit w/Oak Leaf Cluster
- Bronze Star Medal with "V" Device and 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
- Air Medal w/4 Oak Leaf Clusters
- American Defense Service Medal
- American Campaign Medal
- Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/2 Bronze Service stars
- World War II Victory Medal
- Army Occupation Medal (Germany) (Japan)
- National Defense Service Medal w/1 Oak Leaf Cluster
- Philippine Liberation Medal
- Philippine Independence Medal
- Vietnam Service Medal w/4 Bronze Star Service Stars
- Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal w/60 Device
- Republic of Vietnam National Order, 5th Class
- Republic of Vietnam Croix de Guerre w/Palm
- Republic of Vietnam Civ Hon Medal, First Class
- Republic of Vietnam Staff Service Medal
- Republic of Vietnam Croix w/Gold Star
- Republic of Korea Bronze order of Military Merit, Chungmu
CITATIONS
Presidential Unit Citation (Philippines)
BADGES
Combat Infantryman Badge
Parachutist Badge
General Staff Identification Badge
PERSONAL BACKGROUND MATERIAL
Kermit Roosevelt Lecturer – 1967
INTERESTS AND HOBBIES
Writing, Ornithology, Tennis
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Author of Book, Common Sense Training, Presido Press, 1978.
Member Board of Trustees Association of Graduates, USMA 1978-1983.
Vice President and President West Point Society of DC 1980 – 1982
Thanks to Terry Bender, 1/14th Inf, for his dedicated efforts to preserve the history of the 14th Infantry Regiment.
Acknowledgements:
Generals who rose from the ranks of the 14th Infantry: General Arthur S. Collins Jr.
Copyright © 2013 14th Infantry Regiment Association
Last modified: April 07, 2015
