It was an honor that not many receive. Congress last week in one of its final acts of 2010 approved the naming of the Tyrone Post Office in honor of 1st Lt. Robert Wilson Collins of Tyrone, who died April 7 in Mosul, Iraq when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.
“Nothing we can do could ever repay the debt we owe to Lt. Collins and thousands of young Americans like him,” said Sen. Saxby Chambliss who initiated the move to name the post office for Tyrone’s fallen son. “But this will ensure that his name lives on, not just in his friends’ and family’s hearts, but in the very heart of his hometown.”
Commenting on the decision, Collins’ mother, Sharon, said naming the post office for her son is an honor.
“It allows Robert’s legacy to live on,” Collins said, also speaking for her husband Deacon. “We look forward to the dedication of the building. We continue to try to honor his life by being positive in ours.”
“First Lieutenant Robert Wilson Collins was an American hero whose sacrifice will never be forgotten,” said U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland. “Although only a small token to honor sacrifice, I hope commemorating his valor and bravery in his hometown will allow his friends and family to keep his memory alive for generations to come.”
Sen. Johnny Isakson also offered his thoughts on the occasion.
“First Lieutenant Collins served without desire for credit, but on behalf of his country and everything that we stand for,” Isakson said. “Naming this post office after him is one small way to honor the sacrifice he made to make the United States and Georgia a better place.”
Collins served in Iraq as an officer in B Company, 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division based at Fort Stewart, Ga. While in Iraq, his unit was charged with improving security and the quality of life for the Iraqi people.
A West Point graduate, Collins and his men also provided security for the recent Iraqi elections. Lt. Collins died April 7, 2010, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle on the streets of Mosul, Iraq.
The date for the dedication ceremony to rename the post office has not been set.
