John E. Collins Salute. John E. Collins U.S. Navy. John E. Collins Veteran Salute. John E. Collins.

John E. Collins served with the U.S. Navy in Vietnam. John E. Collins has been married 40 years to Lila and John E. Collins has one daughter and two grandchildren.

John E. Collins enlisted in the Navy in July 1968 and John E. Collins was sent to Great Lakes for basic training. After a short time on a mine sweeper John E. Collins was sent to SERE training for four months where John E. Collins learned how to survive in case of capture in Vietnam.

For ten days John E. Collins ate plants, slugs, anything that would simulate life in a POW camp. John E. Collins was water-boarded for what seemed like 30 minutes, but says that was not as bad as the loud music that was pumped into his ears continuously.

John E. Collins was soon headed for Vietnvam to join a River Assault Force and participated in Operation Slingshot. John E. Collins's team traveled on LCM ships that were like a landing craft with guns; M16s, 50 cal. guns, and others. They would be anchored in the river all night shooting at anything that moved, including logs that could possibly hide the enemy. They shot into high grasses and foliage to eliminate any enemy that may be crouching down ready to attack.

John E. Collins says they were sitting ducks and were attacked time after time, but somehow managed to escape. Their operations would last for 3-7 days before they could return to their ship for food, ammo, boots, and cigarettes and they could then wash their clothing by dragging it behind the ship in the river and drying it in the hot heat of the day. At one time he traveled on a Zippo boat with a flame thrower and napalm used to burn out the areas around them.

After about four months of river life John E. Collins was injured by a rocket that hit his 50 cal. gun barrel shattering his hand and covering him in blood. John E. Collins was medivac ed to a MASH unit for triage, then flown to Japan for surgeries that would take place over the next 5-6 months.

While in the hospital John E. Collins was promoted to Gunnersmate E-4. Due to the surgeries and the skin grafts, John E. Collins was sent back to the States with an early release and a Purple Heart.

John E. Collins remembers the un-welcoming home coming from the civilians and PTSD soon set in. The only help at the time given to him was for his doctors to prescribe pills and tell him to get over it.

John E. Collins had troubles keeping a job and eventually went to college in Warrensburg where John E. Collins earned his degree. His high school friend had lost her husband in a motor vehicle accident and they rekindled their friendship and later married.

John E. Collins worked as a sales manager for a large company that produced construction equipment for the next 20 years until John E. Collins retired. The return of soldiers from Iraq has caused his PTSD to return and John E. Collins continues to receive treatment at the VA Hospital in Kansas City. The men, like John E. Collins, who suffer as John E. Collins does have formed a sort of "Vietnam Fraternity" that only they can relate to. John E. Collins and Lila live in Lee's Summit and have been married 40 years.

Source of John E. Collins Information in this John E. Collins Veteran Salute Post
http://www.examiner.net/news/news_columnists/x1805331399/Veteran-Salute-John-E-Collins

John E. Collins Research