Bedford in Bedford County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Joseph “Lightning Joe” Lawton Collins (1896-1987)
— National D-Day Memorial —
Photographed By Brandon D Cross
1. Joseph “Lightning Joe” Lawton Collins (1896-1987) Marker
Inscription.
Joseph “Lightning Joe” Lawton Collins (1896-1987). .
Chief of Staff, Hawaiian Department (1941-1942); Commander, 25th Infantry Division (1942-1943); Commander VIl Corps (1944-1945); Chief of Army Information (1945-1947); Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Army (1947-1949): Chief of Staff, U.S. Army (1949-1953) . A 1917 graduate of the United States Military Academy, J. Larton Collins was commissioned second lieutenant of infantry. He served with the 8th Infantry Regiment during the post World War I occupation of Germany. Following four years service as a chemistry "P" at West Point, he spent the next decade alternately attending and teaching at several Army schools before receiving subsequent assignments to the Philippine Islands, Army Industrial College, and Army War College, after which he performed temporary duty under General George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. Next posted to Alabama, he served as Chief of Staff of VII Corps until he was made Chief of Staff of the Hawaiian Department less than a week after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Promoted to major general soon thereafter, he assumed command of the 25th Infantry Division (known as “Tropical Lightning" because of the heraldic thunderbolt on shoulder patch) ín May 1942 and initiated a vigorous training regime to prepare his troops for mobile warfare. On Guadalcanal, where his soldiers nicknamed him “Lightning Joe,” the 25th Infantry Division launched operations against Japanese forces on 10 January 1943, neutralizing them in less than a month. The success of the follow-on New Georgia campaign resulted in General Collins' selection to command VIl Corps. "A few days before my assignment was announced, I was invited to accompany Eisenhower and Bradley on a trip through an area of Devonshire,” he recalls in his autobiography, "General Bradley outlined the mission assigned to the VII Corps: land on the east coast of the Cotentin peninsula between Verreville and the mouth of the Douve River, seize the beach, link with the V Corps west of the Douve, capture Cherbourg as early as possible.” Lightning Joe took command in mid-February 1944, dividing his efforts between invasion planning and training his soldiers for D-Day. From the airborne operations inland and seaborne landings on Utah Beach through the link up with Soviet forces at the Elbe River in April 1945, VII Corps carried out its assigned missions with distinction. By then General Collins had been promoted to lieutenant general and was soon appointed to several senior staff positions. Receiving a fourth star, he became Army Chief of Staff on 16 August 1949, an office he held before the outset of the Korean War through the Armistice. Leading the successful integration the U.S. Army stands out among his numerous accomplishments over a four-year tenure as Chief of Staff. He left the office on 15 August 1953, becoming the U.S. representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Military Committee. He retired in 1956 following service as special envoy to South Vietnam. In memory of William L. McIntosh (1921-2005): pastor, soldier, patriot. Given in love by his family and friends.
Chief of Staff, Hawaiian Department (1941-1942); Commander, 25th Infantry Division (1942-1943); Commander VIl Corps (1944-1945); Chief of Army Information (1945-1947);
Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Army (1947-1949): Chief of Staff, U.S. Army (1949-1953)
A 1917 graduate of the United States Military Academy, J. Larton Collins was commissioned second lieutenant of infantry. He served with the 8th Infantry Regiment during the post World War I occupation of Germany. Following four years service as a chemistry "P" at West Point, he spent the next decade alternately attending and teaching at several Army schools before receiving subsequent assignments to the Philippine Islands, Army Industrial College, and Army War College, after which he performed temporary duty under General George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army.
Next posted to Alabama, he served as Chief of Staff of VII Corps until he was made Chief of Staff of the Hawaiian Department less than a week after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Promoted to major general soon thereafter, he assumed command of the 25th Infantry Division (known as “Tropical Lightning" because of the heraldic thunderbolt on shoulder patch) ín May 1942 and initiated a vigorous training regime to prepare his troops for mobile warfare.
On Guadalcanal,
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where his soldiers nicknamed him “Lightning Joe,” the 25th Infantry Division launched operations against Japanese forces on 10 January 1943, neutralizing them in less than a month. The success of the follow-on New Georgia campaign resulted in General Collins' selection to command VIl Corps. "A few days before my assignment was announced, I was invited to accompany Eisenhower and Bradley on a trip through an area of Devonshire,” he recalls in his autobiography, "General Bradley outlined the mission assigned to the VII Corps: land on the east coast of the Cotentin peninsula between Verreville and the mouth of the Douve River, seize the beach, link with the V Corps west of the Douve, capture Cherbourg as early as possible.” Lightning Joe took command in mid-February 1944, dividing his efforts between invasion planning and training his soldiers for D-Day.
From the airborne operations inland and seaborne landings on Utah Beach through the link up with Soviet forces at the Elbe River in April 1945, VII Corps carried out its assigned missions with distinction. By then General Collins had been promoted to lieutenant general and was soon appointed to several senior staff positions. Receiving a fourth star, he became Army Chief of Staff on 16 August 1949, an office he held before the outset of the Korean War through the Armistice. Leading the successful integration the U.S.
Photographed By Brandon D Cross
2. Joseph “Lightning Joe” Lawton Collins (1896-1987) Marker
Army stands out among his numerous accomplishments over a four-year tenure as Chief of Staff. He left the office on 15 August 1953, becoming the U.S. representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Military Committee. He retired in 1956 following service as special envoy to South Vietnam.
In memory of William L. McIntosh (1921-2005): pastor, soldier, patriot. Given in love by his family and friends.
Erected by National D-Day Memorial.
Topics and series. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Military • War, World II. In addition, it is included in the U.S. National D-Day Memorial series list. A significant historical date for this entry is June 6, 1944.
Location. 37° 19.85′ N, 79° 32.164′ W. Marker is in Bedford, Virginia, in Bedford County. Memorial can be reached from Overlord Circle, 0.4 miles west of Burks Hill Road. The Marker is located on the grounds of the National D-Day Memorial. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3 Overlord Circle, Bedford VA 24523, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . 1. Gen Joseph Lawton Collins. (Submitted on February 27, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.) 2. National D-Day Memorial. (Submitted on February 27, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 28, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 27, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 44 times since then. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on February 27, 2024, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
