Neal Collins

Junior Neal Collins, longtime Cleveland area resident, passed from this life on Saturday, December 10, 2016 at the Beacon Hill Nursing Home in Denison, Texas at the age of ninety. Neal was born on February 24, 1926 in Drumright, Oklahoma. He was the son of Lum and Nellie (Moore) Collins. Neal was raised and received his education in the Drumright area. Upon completion of his education, Neal accepted employment as a truck driver working for a company in Bristow.

At the age of eighteen, Neal enlisted into the service of his country in the United States Navy on February 23, 1944. Upon completion of basic training at the Farragut Naval Training Station in Bayview, Idaho, Neal was sent to Fleet Service School in Norfolk, Virginia. While assigned to FSS Norfolk, Neal received training as a welder and then was initially classified as a Water Tender 3rd Class and later reclassified as a Gunner's Mate. After a short time on LST-176, GM3 Collins was assigned to USS Crosley (APD 87). USS Crosley trained with Underwater Demolition Teams for a short time before shipping out from Pearl Harbor for San Pedro Bay, Philippines, on 14 February 1945, arriving on 4 March 1945. There she took part of rehearsals for the upcoming invasion of Okinawa. The week before the invasion she served as the mother ship for Underwater Demolition Team 17. Once the invasion began on 1 April 1945, Crosley was tasked with patrolling the coastline. She aided victims of kamikaze attacks on USS Dickerson (APD-21) on 2 April and USS Whitehurst (DE-634) on 12 April. From 20 April until 7 June, Crosely escorted convoys between Okinawa and Ulithi, and Okinawa and Leyte. While assigned to USS Crosley, GM3 Collins received the following decorations and citations, World War II Victory Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Philippine Liberation Campaign Ribbon, and the American Campaign Medal. He was honorably discharged on June 9, 1946.

Upon completion of his military service, Neal returned to Oklahoma and began a career as a welder, working mostly in the Tulsa area. In 1947, Neal was married to Anna Mae Rogers and the couple maintained their home in Cleveland, Oklahoma until moving to Denison, Texas on May 17, 2014 to receive help for Neal with his Alzheimer's diagnosis and for Anna to be closer to her son, Lynn Johnson.

Neal is survived by his wife of Anna of Denison, Texas. He was preceded in death by his parents. Graveside services will be held Friday, December 16, 2016 at the Woodland Cemetery with Rev. Joe Conn officiating. Burial will be under the direction of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home.