Charles "Mack" Collings Interview

Charles "Mack" Collings joined the US Army in October 1940 and was shortly thereafter in Seward, Alaska as part of the 4th Infantry Band. He arrived in the Aleutian Islands in November 1942 and hopped from island to island entertaining the troops as they went.

Download a complete transcript of Mack's interview.

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• Interview - Mack Collings (clip 2)

  
  

  Mack covers a variety of topics ranging from before, during and after the war.

  Credit / Author:

  NPS / Janis Kozlowski & Mack Collings

  Audio Transcript

  0:00:01.9 Reconnecting and continuing the conversation

  0:00:18.8 Playing with the USO and many big stars while in the service

  0:00:57.2 The band changed from the 4th Infantry to the 214th Ground Forces

  0:01:39.4 Memories of playing at a Texas college game

  0:03:05.2 Playing for the soldiers that came to Camp Hood to train

  0:04:56.5 The daily routine of the band members

  0:05:57.3 Working in the Signal Corps

  0:07:04.9 Delivering messages with the Signal Corps

  0:08:59.0 Japanese helmet he brought home and used as an ashtray

  0:09:39.5 First impressions of the Aleutians

  0:10:16.3 Entertaining the troops to keep morale up

  0:11:59.8 Keeping in touch with band members