Mark Paine Collins was born on October 1, 1946, in Glendale, Los Angeles County, California, to Mr. and Mrs. Chester P. Collins. He had one sister. The family moved to Columbia when Mark was very young. His home of record at the time of enlistment was Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, although he never established residence there.

Mark was valedictorian of his eighth-grade class at Columbia Elementary and graduated from Sonora High School in 1964. After his high school graduation, his parents moved to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, but Mark attended college at Humboldt State College and Modesto Junior College. He dropped out of college and was drafted into the Army.

Mark was serving in Vietnam, C Troop, 4th Calvary, First Infantry Division, when he was killed while trying to help his injured comrades when their convoy hit landmines in the road. He was the sixth Tuolumne County soldier to be killed in the Vietnam War, in Binh Duong, South Vietnam, on May 21, 1968.

After his death, his mother wrote a book about him entitled "I'll Ride the Lightning When I Go, Destination: Vietnam," in which she described Mark's dedication and devotion to his family, friends, community, and country.

Mark Paine Collins is honored on Panel 64E, Row 12 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. and on 'The North Wall' Canadian Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com