(Washington, DC) -

Statement from the House Floor

By Rep. Cynthia McKinney

Thank you Madame Speaker.  I rise today to commend, celebrate, and commemorate the military service of Brigadier General "Big John" Collins, Lieutenant General Kuthbert A. "Bill" Patillo, Major General Charles C. "Buck" Patillo and Major General Joe B. "Bill" Paris.

These four generals were in the year 1946 founders of the first State of Georgia Air National Guard Fighter Aircraft Wing, the 54th Fighter Wing. Big john Collins is a friend of mine. This friendship began my efforts-when my efforts resulted in him getting his long overdue war medals. Big John had tried for 20 years to get his medals and he was a pilot. Bill and Buck Patillo are identical twin brothers who along with Bill Paris flew Republic Aircraft Corporation P-47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft.

These four pilots formed a tight diamond attack formation. These four pilots were ordered to fly at air shows around the State of Georgia to boost enlistments in the Georgia National Guard. The idea was a great success, so successful in fact, that the increase in Georgia enlistments came to the attention of the National Guard Bureau at the U.S. Air Force headquarters at the Pentagon.  This work of these four pilots was the foundation upon which the U.S. Air Force Thunderbird precision flying team was created to rank along with the Blue Angels precision flying team of the U.S. Navy.  Air Force Chief of Staff General Hoyt Vandenberg credited the Beorgia National Guard with being the founders of the Air Force Thunderbird precision flying team.

All four of these pilots are alive today. They are healthy, and they are happy to have their service recognized in this way. Although the twins now live in Florida near McDill Air Force Base, I am proud to say that they were born in my district in Decatur, Georgia. Bill Paris was born in my home state and still lives in Georgia, in Alpharetta. Big John Collins, my friend, was born in Oklahoma, raised in Braidenton, Georgia, but saw the light and found his way to Georgia where he's lived since 1939. I  think he found our sweet Georgia peaches too irresistable to leave.

Bill Paris was a leading fighter pilot ace, destroying nine Japanese aircraft. Bill Patillo destroyed a Japanese version of the German ME-62 rocket-powered fighter, one of only three such fighters destroyed worldwide in World War I. Plus Bill destroyed five of the Japanese Aircraft. Buck destroyed five Japanese aircraft. And Big John Collins, my constituent, who has now become my friend, shot down three Japanese fighter aircraft.  Sergeant James Campbell shot down two Japanese fighter aircraft. Sergeant Donald Shop shot down one Japanese fighter, making a total of six enemy fighters downed on one mission. Plus one Japanese warship exiting Simpson Harbor at full speed was destroyed. Big John Collins led an attack on Tobera Air Drome, destroying numerous Japanese aircraft on the ground.

Bill and Buck, Bill Paris, and Big John collectively received the following combat medals:

• four silver stars
• nine distinguished flying crosses
• nine legion of merits
• thirty-six air medals
• five distinguished service medals
• nine presidential unit citations
• four government of the Philippines
• two Kwaka Geia with palm usswpa medals, with nine major campaign medal stars
• 121 various non-combat service medals.

Sixty years after the conclusion of World War II, all Americans should renew and rededicate  their honor for the noble sacrifices, valorous deeds and enduring accomplishments of the military veterans of what has become known as the Greatest Generation.

I would also like to commend my sister colleague, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, who just spoke, who fought hard to get a memorial on the Mall for them, the Greatest Generation, including for my four Georgia pilots. Congratulations to them all for a job well done.