- Historical Date: January 24, 1941
- Location:Camp Beauregard, Louisiana
Guards Welcome General Colladay
Former Commander Hailed by West Michigan Men
Camp Beauregard, La., Jan 24.
West Michigan troops, including members of the former National Guard companies of Greater Muskegon, Grand Haven and Holland participated in a ceremony Wednesday which welcomed back to service Brig. Gen. Thomas Colladay of Flint, former commander of the Michigan National Guard, at Camp Beauregard, La.Gen. Colladay failed to pass his physical examination last October when the Michigan troops were inducted into the federal service but a re-examination recently has reinstated hi on the active list.
The 125th Infantry, of which Greater Muskegon troops are a part, participated in the ceremony which welcomed the general back to his old command. Gen. Colladay joined the National Guard in 1899 and became a commissioned officer in 1908. he served on the Mexican border and overseas during the World war and was in the American Army of Occupation which entered Germany following the Armistice. He took command of the Michigan National Guard April 23, 1840 [sic], while a colonel and received his promotion to the rank and grade of brigadier general shortly after. He succeeded Brig. Gen. Heinrich Pickert.
Gen. Colladay will take over duties in the 32nd division of which all former Michigan guard troops are a part.
It’s interesting to realize that Army leadership during the buildup to WWII was veterans of WWI, or the World war as they called it here. And some of these men, due to age or war wounds, were unable to pass the physical examination. Remember this was also the case with Captain Covell when the guardsmen were called up. But, even after not passing the physical, the Army found a way to bring General Colladay back. The leadership was important at this point, in order to train the next generation of leaders.
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