Rank: Private First Class
Unit: G Troop, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11B – Infantryman
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges: Combat Infantryman Badge
Unit awards: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Selected Service
Date of birth: 8-Dec-1946
Hometown: Klamath Falls, Oregon
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Start of tour: 1-Dec-1966
Incident date: 5-Jun-1967
Date of casualty: 5-Jun-1967
Age at death: 20
Cause of death: Hostile, Died. Explosive Device. Other explosive device.
Francis Leo Collins died as a result of wounds received while passenger in a military vehicle on a combat operation when vehicle struck a hostile mine.
Three Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
PFC Francis Leo Collins
SSG Charles William Kane
SP4 Willie Lee Page
Location of fatality: Quang Ngai, South Vietnam
Place of interment: Eternal Hills Memorial Gardens, Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS FRANCIS LEO COLLINS
5 JUNE 1967
G TROOP, 2nd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Private First Class Collins distinguished himself by heroic actions on 5 June 1967. On this date, Private First Class Collins was serving as a driver of an armored cavalry assault vehicle that was involved in a search and destroy mission near Chu Lai, Republic of Vietnam. During the operation, the platoon came under heavy sniper fire. Private First Class Collins responded to the danger instantly. Realizing that the other crew members could not bring accurate fire to bear on the snipers, Private FIrst Class Collins began to maneuver his vehicle into a more advantageous firing position from which his crew members could better support the movement of other armored assault vehicles within the platoon. As he moved to this new location, his vehicle struck and detonated an anti-tank mine, resulting in fatal wounds to Private First Class Collins. His outstanding display of aggressiveness, devotion to duty and personal bravery are in keeping with the finest tradition of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Task Force OREGON and the United States Army.
Headquarters, Task Force Oregon (Provisional) General Orders No. 59 (26 June 1967)