J. Lawton Collins
A dynamic and aggressive corps commander, he led the breakout from Normandy and became a key architect of the U.S. Army's Cold War posture.
1896–1987 (age 91)·United States Army general·Birthday: May 1·The Lost Generation
Biography
J. Lawton 'Lightning Joe' Collins was a soldier's soldier, whose energetic command style left a deep mark on the U.S. Army. Born in New Orleans, he graduated from West Point in 1917 and served as a young officer in World War I. His career trajectory shifted dramatically in World War II, where he first saw combat in the Pacific, leading the 25th Infantry Division on Guadalcanal. Transferred to Europe, he took command of the VII Corps, where his relentless drive was instrumental in the brutal hedgerow fighting after D-Day and the subsequent breakout at Saint-Lô. After the war, his influence grew in Washington; as Army Chief of Staff from 1949 to 1953, he oversaw the force's challenging transition in Korea and its reorganization for the nuclear age, advocating for a robust, flexible military.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
J. was born in 1896, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When J. Was Born
The biggest hits of 1896
J.'s Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1896Born
First modern Olympic Games held in Athens
President: Grover Cleveland
1901Started school
Queen Victoria dies, ending the Victorian era
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1909Became a teenager
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1912Could drive
Titanic sinks on its maiden voyage
President: William Howard Taft
1914Could vote
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1917Turned 21
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1926Turned 30
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1936Turned 40
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1946Turned 50
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1956Turned 60
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1966Turned 70
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1976Turned 80
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1987Died at 91
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
Key Achievements
- Commanded the U.S. VII Corps during the Normandy campaign and the liberation of Western Europe in World War II.
- Served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army throughout the Korean War, shaping its strategic response.
- One of the few American generals to hold significant combat command in both the Pacific and European theaters of WWII.
- Played a key role in the post-World War II reorganization and modernization of the U.S. Army.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Lightning Joe' was earned for the rapid movement of his division during training exercises before WWII.
He was the younger brother of James Lawton Collins, who also became a U.S. Army Major General.
After retirement, he served as the U.S. representative to the Vietnam-era Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO).
His portrait appears on the cover of the first edition of Stephen Ambrose's book 'D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II'.
“In war there is no substitute for victory.”
