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Jack Travis Collette
| Jack Travis Collette | |
|---|---|
 Jack T. Collette in officer's uniform (newspaper photograph). Source: Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 November 1913 Tennessee |
| Died | 21 March 1945 Germany |
| Nativity | United States |
| Religion | Protestant |
| Awards | Bronze Star Medal |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| ASN | 0437097 |
| Rank | First Lieutenant |
| Rank at Ritchie | Second Lieutenant |
| Camp Ritchie | Class 6 (13 March – 11 May 1943) |
| Section | 13 |
|
| Bronze Star Medal |
{{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.
Jack Travis Collette (5 November 1913 – 21 March 1945) was a United States Army first lieutenant and Ritchie Boy who trained at Camp Ritchie with Class 6. He served in psychological warfare with the 3rd Mobile Radio Broadcasting Company in Patton's Third Army and was killed in action in Germany in March 1945.
Biography[edit | edit source]
Jack Travis Collette was born on 5 November 1913 in Tennessee, the son of Leslie Blaine Collette and Cora Virginia Atkinson. He married Merle Belle Snyder.
Collette served with the 4th Armored Division in 1942 before training at Camp Ritchie with Class 6, where the roster lists him as a second lieutenant (certificate 1333). He was later promoted to first lieutenant.
Collette was assigned to the 3rd Mobile Radio Broadcasting Company, attached to the Third Army, and served in the Psychological Warfare Branch of General George S. Patton's Third Army. He saw action on the Western Front from D-Day onward. He was credited with three bronze stars, described in one account as stars on his ETO ribbon.
First Lieutenant Collette was killed in action in Germany on 21 March 1945, at the age of 31. He is buried at Knoxville National Cemetery in Knoxville, Tennessee, where his headstone identifies him as a first lieutenant of Cavalry.
Gallery[edit | edit source]
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Leather-covered book stamped "U.S. Army, Camp Ritchie, Md.", shared in a Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook post about Collette (not confirmed as his) -
Timeline[edit | edit source]
- 5 November 1913 — Born in Tennessee.
- 1942 — Assigned to the 4th Armored Division.
- 21 March 1945 — Killed in action in Germany.
- Trained at Camp Ritchie with Class 6; commissioned second lieutenant (ASN 0437097).
- Promoted to first lieutenant.
- Assigned to the 3rd Mobile Radio Broadcasting Company, attached to the Third Army.
- Credited with three bronze stars (see Research notes).
- Buried at Knoxville National Cemetery, Knoxville, Tennessee.
Technical record[edit | edit source]
| Field | Imported value |
|---|---|
| Approx Age at Death | 32 |
| Class_ASN | 437097 |
| Class_Name | COLLETTE, Jack T. |
| match_method | asn_exact_name_exact |
| row_source | both |
Research notes[edit | edit source]
- A Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook post caption says he trained with the 3rd Mobile Radio Broadcasting Company at Camp Sharpe, a subcamp of Camp Ritchie; not yet confirmed from another source.
- Bronze stars: the wartime report quoted in the Facebook posts says both that he "had been awarded three Bronze Stars" and that he "had three bronze stars to his ETO ribbon." The second wording usually describes campaign stars on the European theater service ribbon rather than the Bronze Star Medal; the award needs confirming from service records.
- The imported awards data also listed the Medal of Honor. No source on this page supports it, and it has been removed from the infobox pending evidence.
Sources[edit | edit source]
- East Tennessee Veterans Memorial Association — Collette, Jack T. (etvma.org)
- Headstone of Jack T. Collette, Knoxville National Cemetery (photograph in the Gallery; "1st Lieut Cavalry, World War II")
- Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
- Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records
- NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
- 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2019-05-25 (1 post)
- Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2022-01-25 (2 posts)
- Dan Gross, Timeline of Jack Travis Collette for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
- Dan Gross, Timeline of Collette, Jack Travis for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: JACK T. COLLETTE (2022).docx)