World War II - Lt. Richard I. Collier, Jr. - Coke County, TX ***************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ Submitted by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net 23 Sep 2000 ***************************************************************** The Observer/Enterprise, 10 Dec 1999, Robert Lee, TX Lt. Richard I. Collier, Jr. was born in Bronte and graduated from Bronte High School. He then attended Hardin Simmons University where he graduated as valedictorian. He taught band at Anson, Cisco, and Corpus Christi. Additionally, Collier served as a civil service instructor at Lincoln Nebraska Army Airbase before entering service July 1, 1943. Lt. Collier received his commission and navigator wings at Ellington Field, Houston, on May 20, 1944. He was sent overseas in August 1944 and assigned to the 15th Air Force in Italy where he served as a navigator on a B-24 bomber. While on a bombing mission to Steyr, Austria, his plane dropped from formation while flying through clouds. A plane, presumed to be his, was seen crashing in the Adriatic Sea near the island of Cherso. He was reported as missing in action on October 16, 1944 and subsequently declared to have been killed in action. Lt. Collier was survived by his wife, Charlotte Collins Collier and a son, Richard R. Collier. Permission granted by Enterpriser/Observer for publication in the Coke County TXGenWeb Archives