Larry Eugene CollierSpecialist FiveD TRP, 1ST SQDN, 4TH CAVALRY, 1 INF DIV Army of the United States 11 March 1944 - 04 July 1968 Toccoa, Georgia Panel 53W Line 008 |
 
|
  
|
The database page for Larry Eugene Collier
|
Specialist Five Larry Eugene Collier was the son of Emma and Hoyt Collier. A graduate of Toccoa Falls High School and North Georgia Tech, Gene was trained as a helicopter repairman assigned to the First Infantry Division in Binh Duong Province, South Vietnam. Gene died in a helicopter collision on 4 July 1968. He was interred with full military honors in the Stephens Memorial Gardens. Specialist Five Larry Eugene Collier is remembered and honored by his community and by his comrades in the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Leon Williams Post 4346, Toccoa, Stephens County, Georgia.
| ||||||||||||
|
SP 5 Collier was assigned to the Scout Platoon known as the "Outcasts". This platoon name was used to identify each member of the platoon. Lt. Bosworth was Outcast 16 and Sp5 Collier was Outcast 16R (Outcast One Six Romeo). Sp5 Eugene Collier's mission during his tour in Vietnam was Crew Chief and Door Gunner on Outcast aircraft. All of his missions included low level flight or nap-of-the-earth flying to locate enemy traffic and enemy positions. Sp5 Collier faced death every day he boarded his aircraft and was exposed to enemy fire on a daily basis. Larry was an exceptional crew chief who took pride in his aircraft. He often took new Outcast crew chiefs under his wing to teach them aircraft maintenance and teach them about Outcast missions. We will always remember Larry for his dedication to duty and keen sense of responsibility to his platoon, The Outcasts! I am proud to have served with Sp 5 Larry E. Collier and he will be remembered by all Outcasts June 23-25, 2007, Orlando, Fl as we (Outcasts) gather in remembrance of all fallen Outcasts and members of D Troop (Air), 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 1st Inf Division.
From an Outcast pilot, 1968, |
Notes from The Virtual WallAt approximately 0655 hours, 4 July 68, an OH-6A light observation helicopter (tail number 67-16018) of D Troop, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, departed Lai Khe enroute to an operational area approximately 11 kilometers northeast of Lai Khe. The OH-6 was crewed by
At approximately 0810 hrs, 4 Jul 68, the D/1/4 Cav Scout Team led by Lieutenant Raymond P Bosworth flying in OH-6A tail number 66-7854, departed Lai Khe for the same area. At approximately 0850 hours, the command vehicle of B Co, 2/2 Infantry, hit a mine and took five casualties. When B/2/2 called for a medevac, MAJ Terry proceeded to their area and radioed LT Bosworth to do likewise. The two aircraft arrived overhead at the same time, both in descending right-hand turns but with Terry slightly behind, slightly higher, and slightly faster than Bosworth. Terry's aircraft overtook and collided with Bosworth's at an altitude of about 100 feet. After the collision, Bosworth's aircraft continued on the same general heading until it crashed into the ground and burned. Terry's aircraft continued in a right descending turn and crashed approximately 45 meters from the other aircraft. Five men died in the collision - the three in Terry's aircraft and LT Raymond P Bosworth and SP4 Dirk J Westra in the second OH-6A. |
|
The point-of-contact for this memorial is the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4346, Toccoa, Georgia kjdavis@alltel.net |
|
Top of Page
 www.VirtualWall.org Back to |
With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 28 Jun 2000
Last updated 09/13/2007