General Harry J. Collins The General of the Children
Submitted by: Mike Chapman
Category: Books
Harry J. Collins 1895 – 1963, was an American Army major general best known for his command of the 42nd Infantry Division (the Rainbow Division), which played a crucial role in blunting the German assault in the Battle of the Bulge and in the liberation of Dachau, and for his benevolent role in the occupation of Austria after the war.
This book presents a tribute to, and a biography of, General Collins, with particular emphasis on his role in World War II and in the occupation of Austria. It is based on the reminiscences of those who knew him and—uniquely— includes excerpts from the general’s own notes that he kept throughout the war, and afterwards when he returned to Austria.
General Collins was an outstanding member of a remarkable group of American commanders who helped to win World War II; unlike some of the more flamboyant commanders, he was largely forgotten until now.
Mike Chapman visited the general’s widow, Irene, in Salzburg several times, and she gave him the exclusive rights to the material in her husband’s diaries. We believe this is the first time it has been published.
About the author:
MIKE CHAPMAN is a navy veteran who enlisted he says “thirty days before the Japanese surrender. They must have seen me coming.” He was selected to sing in the famous Bluejacket Choir for his career in Boot Camp, graduated Storekeepers School and then was assigned to discharging sailors. After the war his professional life included running his own advertising agency, a real estate agency, and also producing rodeos in the Midwest where he was responsible for putting on forty rodeos annually. It was on the occasion of producing South Africa’s first and only rodeo that he took the opportunity en route to travel to Germany and Austria where he saw the grave of General Collins. This started his enduring interest in the general’s life story, and resulted in this book after many interviews with Irene Collins, and with other officers, including General Mark Wayne Clark, Collins's commanding officer.