Sgt. Maj. (Ret.) John Thomas Collier celebrated his 100th birthday today. Collier enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1940 and attended Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. During World War II, Collier served at the Battle of Guadalcanal and Cape Gloucester. Following the war Collier returned to Parris Island as a drill instructor in 1945. In 1950, Collier deployed with 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment and fought at the Chosin Reservoir. Today he lives just across the river in Beaufort, SC, steps from where his Marine Corps’ career started.
Semper Fi, Sgt. Maj. Collier!
OORAH, and Happy Birthday to a real Old Corps Marine! Semper Fi!!
You Sir are a Marines Marine and my hat is off to You. Bless You and may the path You leave inspire all who know Your story. Happy Birthday Marine and
Thank You for your service, Semper Fi.
L/Cpl w. D. Dixon 5th Marines Vietnam 1968-1969.
Happy Birthday Marine Semper Fi Always
Semper Fi Marine and oh ya, Happy 100th Birthday. Thank You for your many years of Service to the Corps
Thank you Sergeant Major, you are a great American and a genuine inspiration. Terry Kindlon (Sgt 0311)
Happy Birthday and God Bless you for all you have done for our country ??. Semper Fidelis!
Happy Birthday Sgt. Major, Semper Fidelis, DJ Milan Cpl, USMC
What an impressive Life and what a man on a Mission! I’m sure that all you Trained are still looking up to You!
Thank you for all your years of Service
They should Honor you with a U.S. Postage Stamp for all the lives you’ve changed, all for the Better!
God Bless You, Forever and a Day!!
Mark Stenberg
Happy Birthday my brother.
Happy 100th Birthday Marine!
Happy birthday brother you’ve been there and done that thank you for your service Semper fi Roger Jarrett SSgt 1967-1975
To the marines celebrating their 100 yr birthday that’s awesome + thnks for your service make your birthday a joyous + happy one??
Happy Birthday Sgt. Major. You exemplify the USMC! Marines like you are what others should model themselves after.
Bet the Sgt Maj could still whup some ass!
Happy Birthday Marine.
Semper Fi brother.
DBW Sgt USMC ’62 – ’66
Have a great one TOP!!!
From an old amphib. Recon. , Korea, 51-52, Sgt. My cousin 96 WWII still clicking
Those heels.
We Salute you Sir!!!!!!!!!!
Happy birthday Sgt. Major! Semper Fi!
Congrats on your 100th birthday celebrated within a month of your 10 November Birthday! Sgt Major your picture shows the gleam in your eye of the hard charging Marine that served our Country and Corps with distinction. Semper Fi and God Bless.
MSgt Collier — Happy Birthday, thanx and God Bless today and everyday. Our country stands tall and strong because of you and all the others who have answered the Call. Want to meet you back here in 10 years.
SgtMaj, I can’t thank you enough for the service to your country and the sacrifices you made to give us the freedom we never take for granted as Marines. May you be blessed with more years of good health and many great memories. Semper Fi SgtMaj and God Bless you and your family.
Respectfully,
Hawk
Thanks to your generation of fire-pissing Marines, we youngsters(?) learned how to fight! Semper Fi to you, Sir!
WP, Vietnam Vet, ‘65 & ‘66.
Happy Birthday Sgt Major.
From a machine gunner that served in Nam 1968.
Semper Fi
Ben
Truly an inspiration for all Marines! Thank you for your dedication to the Corps and America. Happy Birthday!
HAPPY #100 BIRTHDAY, SGT. MAJ. !!!! THANKS FOR WHAT YOU DID SO LONG AGO, TO PROTECT & PRESERVE THE FREEDOMS WHICH WE ALL ENJOY, EVERY SINGLE DAY. I WAS NOT MEDICALLY APPROVED TO SERVE IN ANY BRANCH OF THE US-MILITARY SERVICES. HOWEVER, SINCE MY RETIREMENT IN 2012, I BECAME A FULL-TIME VOLUNTEER & SERVE OUR LOCAL “JARHEAD SUPPORT GROUP” & IN DEC. 2020, I WILL RECEIVE MY “2-BAR” SERVICE STRIPE !!!! OOORAH & SEMPER FIDELIS, SIR…………..
PVT. MICHAEL S. WHITLOCK, USMC-VOL.
“SEMPER-FI SOCIETY OF THE BRAZOS VALLEY”
Gratefully I say…..Thank You and Semper Fi Sgt. Major
Thank You for leading the way!
Thanks Sergeant Major for your service and love of country. I’m praying for a wonder day for you and a very Happy Birthday! 100 years young. May God Bless you Sir. Semper Fi
Elvin Sharp
Happy birthday, Sergeant Major and Semper Fi. As the Otalians say,”Cente anni!!”, a hundred years more.
Ed Młotkiewicz
USMC
Happy Birthday SgtMaj, from one SNCO to another. SSGT B. Pena (Ret).
Semper Fidelis Sgt Maj , and Happy Birthday. Thank you for all you have done for this great nation of ours. It is careers and men like you that have made this the greatest nation in Earth. You have obviously done more than most, if not everyone else to make it great. Thank you.
God bless you and Happy Birthday, Marine. But, most of all, SEMPER FI!!!
Have a great Birthday Sgt Major!………Semper Fi my brother……….
SEMPER FI and thank you for what you have done and stand for. Proud to be a brother to men like you!!!!
John Gamble, Sgt, Jul 1962-Nov 1966
A very Happy Birthday SgtMaj, Semper Fi to you. You are a great Marine.
Hey John were you the Gamble on the Midway who was also a poet?
Happy Birthday SgtMaj Collier!! Thank you for your service and the countless sacrifices you made, so that this nation could remain free. Semper Fi!
Wishing you a very happy birthday , may you have a whole more to come. Thank you for your service in protecting the United States of America. 100 years of life is a miracle in itself.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY I CELEBRATED MY CENTENNIAL BIRTHDAY AUGEST 5 OF THIS YEAR.. ( I had a short tour in the USMC) SEMPER FI
Happy 100th, birthday to u marine, semper fi. ….
Happy Birthday SgtMajor;
and you are and were a blessing to our beloved Marine Corps
SemperFi
S/Sgt Connolly
Retired
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! to a true Old Corps Marine. I love to meet Marines like you. You are the definition of Marine. Your are the definition of “Salty”. Thank you Sgt. Maj. Collier for what you have done for our country. Thanks for sharing this. I hope you enjoyed every minute of your birthday. GOD BLESS YOU.
SPENCE (2nd Tank Battalion Desert Shield and Storm)
Happy Birthday Sgt Major…
You obviously are still going strong which underscores the wonder life that you have led. Having spent 9 years in the Marines, I salute you for your Service and for the Inspiration that you have provided as a DI to all the young recruits who you helped to train!!!
Salute
Sgt. T. Golden
SEMPER FI. Thanks for your service. God Bless Lcpl Paul Alles. 2/3 Vietnam 68/69
Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester, and Chosin Reservoir.
My generation worships you and your old corps generation.
We owe everything we have to you.
USMC 1963-1967. Vietnam April 1966-June 1967. H&HS-1, Danang, Sgt.
Thank you!
Happy Birthday! God bless you
Happy birthday sgt major, you have gone above and beyond, a true hero in my eyes, but I know you would say you were just doing your duty, proud to share the title Marine with you, but we know the true heroes didn’t make it back, still you’re an inspiration to all Marines. Former col of the Marines R J Rivera 70/72