BRIEFING DOCUMENT: Garland Woodrow Collier

Subject: Life and Military Service of Garland Woodrow Collier

Date: October 26, 2023

1. Introduction:

This briefing document details the life and military service of Garland Woodrow Collier, a U.S. Army Sergeant who served in World War II and was recently accounted for after being listed as missing in action for decades. The information is based on the provided biographical text.

2. Key Biographical Information:

Birth: Garland Woodrow Collier was born on November 3, 1918, in Novice, Coleman County, Texas.

Parents: His parents were Abbie Morris Ralph (born 1876, died 1935) and Abner Belcher Collier (born 1858, died 1927). The text notes his mother was 42 and his father 60 when Garland was born.

Early Life:1930 Census: Age 11, living with his mother and brother in JP6, Coleman County, Texas.

1935: Living in Coleman, Coleman County, Texas.

Education: Graduated from Coleman High School in 1937.

1940 Census: Age 21, working as a ranch hand and lodging with the Arnold family in Coleman, Coleman County, Texas.

Draft Registration: Registered for the draft on October 16, 1940, at Lowell, Cochise County, Arizona. At that time he was unemployed, living in Lowell and listed his sister, Mrs. Jim D. Watson of Route 2 Coleman, Coleman County, Texas, as his next of kin.

Enlistment: Enlisted in the U.S. Army as a private on September 1, 1942, in Phoenix, Arizona. He was working as a semi-skilled motorman (vehicle) and had four years of high school education. His Army Serial Number (ASN) was 39849456. He was a single white male born in Texas in 1918, and at the time of enlistment he was residing in Cochise County, Arizona.

Military Training: Received training at Camp Toccoa and Fort Benning, both in Georgia.

3. Military Service in World War II:

Unit: Sergeant Garland W. Collier served in the Light Machine Gun Platoon, HQ Company, 3rd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.

Deployment: Shipped out to England on August 28, 1943, and was stationed in Ramsbury, England in preparation for the D-Day invasion.

Key Operations:D-Day (June 6, 1944): Participated in the D-Day landings at Normandy.

Operation Market Garden (September 17, 1944): Participated in the airborne operation in Holland.

The Island: In early October of 1944 the division moved to defensive positions on the "Island," a strip of land north of Nijmegen located between the Lek and Waal Rivers. This area was subjected to heavy German attacks and the division sustained heavy casualties.

Death: Killed in action on October 5, 1944, in Opheusden, Holland, near the railway station. The text specifically notes that "his remains are still missing, unrecovered or not identified, to this day".

Initial Commemoration: Remembered on the Tablets of the Missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in Margraten, Netherlands.

Awards: Received the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart with one Bronze Oakleaf Cluster.

4. Recent Developments:

Accounted For: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced on June 15, 2022, that Sergeant Garland W. Collier had been accounted for.

Burial: Sgt. Collier will be buried on November 12, 2022, at White Chapel Cemetery, Coleman County, Texas, near his hometown.

5. Main Themes and Key Ideas:

Sacrifice: The text highlights the sacrifice made by Sergeant Collier, a young man who enlisted in the Army, participated in major WWII operations, and ultimately lost his life in the service of his country.

Missing in Action: For many years Collier was listed as missing in action with his remains unrecovered, which represents a significant historical theme relating to the Second World War.

Closure and Remembrance: The recent accounting of his remains after nearly eight decades brings a degree of closure to his family and serves as a reminder of the importance of honoring those who served.

The Human Cost of War: The text underscores the devastating human cost of war and conflict, including the heavy casualties suffered in areas like "the Island," and emphasizes that those who served are never forgotten.

The Process of Identification: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency's efforts underscore the ongoing work of identifying and recovering the remains of soldiers killed in action, even decades later.

6. Key Quotes:

"...his remains are still missing, unrecovered or not identified, to this day." (This quote reflects the long period of uncertainty regarding his remains).

"The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced that U.S. Army Sergeant Garland W. Collier, 21, killed during World War II, was accounted for 15 June 2022." (This announces the recent news of Collier's positive identification).

7. Conclusion:

Sergeant Garland Woodrow Collier's story is a microcosm of the experiences of many soldiers who served during World War II. His life, service, and recent identification provide a moving narrative about sacrifice, remembrance, and the efforts to account for those missing in action. His story also gives a human face to statistics on losses of life in conflict.