Forrest Merritt Collins

1921 - 2017

Forrest Merritt Collins of Colville died Jan. 14, 2017 at the age 95. Forest was born on August 27, 1921 in Grangeville, Idaho, the only child of Vernon Leroy and Delta Fay (Merritt) Collins.

He joined the USN in the spring of 1942 after quitting his job at Boeing in Seattle. He had enough college education to earn a commission in the Navy. He chose the Navy because it seemed more exciting than the Army or Army Air Corps, since the Navy would allow him to fly off of carriers. He also thought that he would see more of the world.

He began his flight school training in Miles City, MT learning to fly Piper Cubs. From Montana, he went to St Mary's (a catholic school/fighter training base) in San Francisco, CA, where he went to pre-flight school specializing in more Navy fighter aircraft. Further training followed on the N3N (bi-plane) in Pasco, and then still more training on the SNJ (the original T-6 Texan) at Corpus Christi, TX. Finally, he transferred to Sanford, FL to learn to fly the FM-2 Wildcat as well as fighter gunnery. Since the Wildcats were carrier-based aircraft, the Navy sent him to Chicago to learn to land on ships that had been converted to aircraft landing platforms, which simulated aircraft carriers. The ships were deployed in the Great Lakes.

His flight training, carrier-landing and gunnery courses complete, the Navy shipped him to San Diego, and then to the South Pacific atoll of Guadalcanal.

He "chased Task Force 58 (led by the Fifth fleet)" all the way to Saipan, Tinian and Guam before heading to Leyte in the Philippine Islands. There, he was assigned to the infamous Taffy 3, onboard the jeep carrier USS Saint Lo (CVE-63--formerly the USS Midway).

The Battle of Samar, one of the most memorable engagements in U.S. Naval history, quickly followed. The Saint Lo immediately launched her planes, ordering the pilots to attack the Japanese task force and to proceed to Tacioban airstrip in Leyte to rearm and refuel. Forrest was one of the last pilots to take off from the Saint Lo before Kamikaze (Lt. Yukio Seki) hit her and sunk her. After expending his ammunition in the fighting, he landed at Tacioban airstrip. He spent four days there while Japanese fighters strafed his and many others' tents before he was finally able to return to the fleet.

After completing his active duty, Forrest continued in the Naval Reserve, achieving the rank of Commander. Forrest's notable awards were: Asiatic-Pacific-4 Stars, Philippine Liberation-1 Star, Presidential Unit Citation-1 Star, WWII Victory Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

From the early 1950's, through 1988, Wacanda Marine Inc., Colville, a family-owned corporation, produced a unique series of fiberglass boats. The name of the company, "Wacanda", was in recognition that early on, about half of the boats were being sold in Washington State--half in Canada. From its inception through about 1984, Wacanda Marine was owned and operated by Forrest. From 1984 to 1988, the company was owned by the Yakima Indian Nation (Wapato), although Forrest managed the production until his retirement.

Forrest married A. Maxine Knowlton June 28, 1958. They were later divorced. He married Gladys P. Key (maiden Callan) on Sept 29, 1962.

He and Gladys were avid and excellent snow skiers. Forrest also went helicopter skiing. Most weekends in the winter would find them on the slopes of some well-known ski resort in the U.S. and Canada. They also spent a lot of time in the woods hunting and cutting wood.

While they never had children, they owned and dearly loved many dogs and cats. Forrest was an avid seeker of minerals and precious metals. He was well versed in this hobby and spent countless hours in the woods and mountains studying rock formations, seeking minerals and rocks.

Forrest was preceded in death by his parents and by his nephew, Rex Droz.

He is survived by his wife Gladys; his dear friend and niece by marriage, Susan Droz Rankin; nephews, Robin Droz and Pat Callan; nieces Kim Wakefield and Shirley Jewett and several cousins.

Funeral service will be held on Friday, Feb. 10 at 1 p.m. at Danekas Funeral Chapel in Colville.

Please visit the on-line memorial and sign the guestbook at www.danekasfuneralchapel.com.

Danekas Funeral Chapel and Crematory has been entrusted with arrangements.