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2 <br /> HONORARY RECOGNITION <br /> FOR <br /> FLIGHT OFFICER BRUCE W. COLLINS <br /> WHEREAS, Bruce W. Collins was born on April 2, 1920 in Nash County to Mr. and Mrs. Joel S. Collins of <br /> Hillsboro, North Carolina, and <br /> WHEREAS, Bruce W. Collins attended Orange County Schools and graduated from Chapel Hill High in the <br /> class of 1941, and <br /> WHEREAS, Bruce W. Collins decided at the young age of 21 to volunteer for the Army and upon hearing <br /> about Pearl Harbor was determined to join the Army Air Corp, completing his first solo flight on <br /> September 3, 1942, and <br /> WHEREAS, Flight Officer Brace W. Collins on February 7, 1944, as a member of the 309th Fighter <br /> Squadron, 31 st Fighter Group, climbed inside the cockpit of his Spitfire and joined his <br /> squadron over the beaches of Anzio, Italy where his group encountered over 35 enemy <br /> aircraft, being outnumbered by 8 to 1, and <br /> WHEREAS, after encountering enemy fire and being forced to fly through an allied anti-aircraft barrage, <br /> Flight Officer Collins disappeared with no radio contact or visual siting of his plane, and <br /> WHEREAS, after 52 years since this incident, Bruce's family held a memorial service in remembrance of <br /> this patriotic young man who gave his life for his country, and <br /> WHEREAS, the survivors include four brothers and two sisters: Dr. Bobby Collins and Glen Collins of <br /> Durham County and Vera C. Walker, Edward Collins, Jane C. Kirkland and Don Collins of <br /> Orange County who feel that even though his body was never found, his person and spirit <br /> shall always remain with us. <br /> NOW, THEREFORE, we the Orange County Board of Commissioners do hereby join in this memorial <br /> to Flight Officer Bruce W. Collins, a young man who made the ultimate sacrifice for doing what <br /> he loved the most, and ask that all citizens in Orange County remember Bruce for his <br /> dedication to his country and his warm and kind nature, and <br /> FURTHER, LET IT BE RESOLVED that this honorary recognition be spread upon the minute book of <br /> Orange County so that future generations will know and remember the dedication of Flight <br /> Officer Bruce W. Collins in the performance of his duty as an officer in the U.S. Army Airforce. <br /> This the 1st day of October, 1996. <br />