Page 92 - DFCS NEWS MAGAZINE 2020-1

Taps
Final Flight
_____________________________________________________________________________ LT. COL. BENJAMIN L. COLLINS, Sr. USA (Ret.) 93
July 1, 1926 – April 3, 2020
Colonel Collins was born in Portland, Oregon, July 1, 1926. He enlisted in the military service in September 1943, serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He served with the U.S. Army in Korea and Vietnam. During his tour with the Navy, he met and married Lois G. Salinas in January 1946. After being together for 48 years, she predeceased him on May 5, 1994.
As an Infantry Officer during the war in Korea, he was assigned to Company B, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division in 1952. Following that engagement, he returned to the United States with assignment to Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
In September 1955 he entered the Army Aviation Program and became a pilot. During the ensuing years with the military, he was involved with various organizations and assignments. These included duty at Fort Benning, Georgia, Schweinfurt, Germany, and Headquarters 6th U.S. Army, Presidio of San Francisco, where he was the Commanding Officer of Crissy Army Airfield and the 6th Army Flight Detachment.
During his military career of some 28 years, he received numerous citations and awards. These included the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bronze Star for Valor during combat in Vietnam.
Following his retirement from the military in 1972, he settled his family in San Jose, California where he became involved in various
community activities. One such program was the Civilian International, where he served as President of the San Jose Chapter and later as Lieutenant Governor of Civilian’s Northern California area. He also became employed by the State of California in their Division of Apprenticeship Standards, serving with various occupational trade committees located in Santa Clara County. He ultimately retired permanently in 1992, having served as Administrator of the Santa Clara County Automobile Apprenticeship Program for several years.
In 1998, he moved from San Jose, California to Camino, California where he met and subsequently married Suzanne Wall on June 26, 1999. They continued to live in Camino for approximately 16 years, then moved to Roseville, California.
He is survived by his wife Suzanne and his five children: Ben Collins, Jr., Cheryl Johnston, Patrick Collins, Carol Clark, and Marlene Kurek. He also leaves behind 10 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.
Crissy Field, Presidio of San Francisco, California
92 / DFCS News Magazine / SUMMER 2020