HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 10-01-1996 - 6a 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Action Agenda
I tem No q
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: October 1, 1996
SUBJECT:- Honorary Recognition for Officer Bruce W. Collins
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DEPARTMENT County Commissioners PUBLIC HEARING YES NO x
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BUDGE T AMENDMENT: YES X NO
ATTACHMENT(S) :Yes Recognition
Document INFORMATION CONTACT
Stephen Halkiotis
TELEPHONE NUMBER
Hillsborough 732-8181
Chapel Hill 968-4501
Mebane 227-2031
Durham 688-7331
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PURPOSE : To present an "Honorary Recognition for Officer Bruce W.
Collins" to his family.
BACKGROUND: Bruce W. Collins had been missing in action since World
War II, February 7, 1944 . The family held a memorial on Sunday,
September 14 at the Hillsborough Town Cemetery. This recognition is in
honor of a young man who gave his life for his country.
RECOMMENDATION: Approve and present to Dr. Bobby Collins, brother of the
late Bruce W. Collins.
2
HONORARY RECOGNITION
FOR
FLIGHT OFFICER BRUCE W. COLLINS
WHEREAS, Bruce W. Collins was born on April 2, 1920 in Nash County to Mr. and Mrs. Joel S. Collins of
Hillsboro, North Carolina, and
WHEREAS, Bruce W. Collins attended Orange County Schools and graduated from Chapel Hill High in the
class of 1941, and
WHEREAS, Bruce W. Collins decided at the young age of 21 to volunteer for the Army and upon hearing
about Pearl Harbor was determined to join the Army Air Corp, completing his first solo flight on
September 3, 1942, and
WHEREAS, Flight Officer Brace W. Collins on February 7, 1944, as a member of the 309th Fighter
Squadron, 31 st Fighter Group, climbed inside the cockpit of his Spitfire and joined his
squadron over the beaches of Anzio, Italy where his group encountered over 35 enemy
aircraft, being outnumbered by 8 to 1, and
WHEREAS, after encountering enemy fire and being forced to fly through an allied anti-aircraft barrage,
Flight Officer Collins disappeared with no radio contact or visual siting of his plane, and
WHEREAS, after 52 years since this incident, Bruce's family held a memorial service in remembrance of
this patriotic young man who gave his life for his country, and
WHEREAS, the survivors include four brothers and two sisters: Dr. Bobby Collins and Glen Collins of
Durham County and Vera C. Walker, Edward Collins, Jane C. Kirkland and Don Collins of
Orange County who feel that even though his body was never found, his person and spirit
shall always remain with us.
NOW, THEREFORE, we the Orange County Board of Commissioners do hereby join in this memorial
to Flight Officer Bruce W. Collins, a young man who made the ultimate sacrifice for doing what
he loved the most, and ask that all citizens in Orange County remember Bruce for his
dedication to his country and his warm and kind nature, and
FURTHER, LET IT BE RESOLVED that this honorary recognition be spread upon the minute book of
Orange County so that future generations will know and remember the dedication of Flight
Officer Bruce W. Collins in the performance of his duty as an officer in the U.S. Army Airforce.
This the 1st day of October, 1996.