Elbert H. Collins
Bio
Elbert H. Collins joined the Navy in 1947 and served in the Korean War with the Marine Corps as a medical corpsmen. Among his most vivid memories is the number of civilians, including women and children, that would walk down the sides of road and often needed medical care. While at that Nakdong Perimeter, Elbert Collins was injured by a ricocheted bullet and needed medical care himself. He describes his living conditions, including how scared he often was. He also recalls the Incheon Landing and the preparation they had. Overall, he is proud of his service and those he was able to help.
Video Clips
What Happened to Injured Civilians and Soldiers?
Elbert Collins recalls what sticks out most in his mind- tons of civilians, including women and children- walking down the sides of the road. He describes a time that these civilians almost killed a man. As a medic, he often questioned what happened to the people that he treated, but Elbert Collins did get a letter from one Marine he treated.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alkU_rNOR9c&start=900&end=1219
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/elbert-h-collins#clip-1
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Injured in the Line of Duty
Along the front lines at the Nakdong Perimeter, North Koreans were charging the Americans and came as close as 20 yards away. Elbert Collins was actually shot with a ricochet bullet in his bottom. He explains what it was like on the front lines.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alkU_rNOR9c&start=1360&end=1579
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/elbert-h-collins#clip-2
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Living Conditions
Elbert Collins explains that they had to eat C-rations and smoke cigarettes from World War II. He describes the foxholes in which they slept, including the one in which he dug that flooded out. He admits that he was scared to death during this time and questioned why he was there.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alkU_rNOR9c&start=1630&end=1827
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/elbert-h-collins#clip-3
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Incheon Landing
In preparation for the Inchon Landing, Elbert Collins had to stay in a warehouse during a typhoon that came through the area. He remembers all of the preparation that they were given. He describes the instructions that they were given for the landing, but explains that he was so scared that he did not follow the directions.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alkU_rNOR9c&start=1981&end=2385
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https://koreanwarlegacy.org/interviews/elbert-h-collins#clip-4
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