William James Collins

In the invasion of Iwo Jima, the Fourth Marine Division was charged with landing on and securing the Yellow and Blue Beaches – the right of the Marine line, anchoring on the Quarry. Lieutenant Colonel Hollis Mustain’s First Battalion, 25th Marines would be first ashore on Beach Blue 1 and would move straight inland, providing cover for other units attacking Motoyama Airfield. Almost immediately, BLT 1-25 an into a “buzzsaw” of gunfire, suffering extremely heavy casualties as they struggled through the ash-like sand.

Corporal William J. Collins, a veteran NCO, was among those hit during the first few hours ashore. He received some medical treatment at a makeshift aid station and was evidently marked for evacuation. More than two months later, his parents were informed that he had been wounded in action.

However, Collins never arrived at any hospitals in the Pacific. All efforts to locate him came up empty, and his status was changed to “missing in action” effective 19 February 1945. Nothing more was ever learned of his fate, and he was ultimately declared dead on 20 February 1946.