J . Lawton Collins Joseph " Lightning Joe " Lawton Collins ( May 1 , 1896 – September 12 , 1987 ) was Army Chief of Staff during the Korean War . During World War II , he was an Army general , serving in both the Pacific and European Theaters of Operations . His elder brother , James Lawton Collins , was also in the Army as a major general . His nephew , Michael Collins , was the command module pilot on the " Apollo 11 " mission in 1969 that put the first two men on the Moon and would retire as a brigadier general from the Air Force . Early career . Collins was born in New Orleans , Louisiana , on May 1 , 1896 . He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1917 ; was commissioned a second lieutenant and assigned to the 22nd Infantry , April 1917 ; was promoted to first lieutenant , May 1917 , and temporary captain , August 1917 . He attended the Infantry School of Arms at Fort Sill and served with his regiment at various locations , 1917 – 1919 . Collins was promoted to captain , June 1918 , and to temporary major , September 1918 ; commanded the 3rd Battalion , 22nd Infantry , in France , 1919 , and was assistant chief of staff , G - 3 , of American Forces in Germany , 1920 – 1921 . During this time Collins served in the Army of Occupation with the Philippine Scouts in Germany . Advancement . Collins married Gladys Easterbrook , 1921 ; reverted to captain , 1920 ; was instructor in the department of chemistry at West Point , 1921 – 1925 ; graduated from the company officer course at the Infantry School , Fort Benning , 1926 , and from the advanced course at the Field Artillery School , Fort Sill , 1927 . He was an instructor in weapons and tactics at the Infantry School , 1927 – 1931 ; was promoted to major , August 1932 ; was executive officer of the 23rd Brigade , Manila , and assistant chief of staff , G - 2 , Philippine Division , 1933 – 1934 . He graduated from the Army Industrial College , 1937 , and the Army War College , 1938 ; was an instructor at the Army War College , 1938 – 1940 . He was promoted to lieutenant colonel , June 1940 ; was chief of staff of the VII Corps , 1941 . Major commands . Collins was promoted to the temporary ranks of colonel , January 1941 , brigadier general , February 1942 , and major general , May 1942 . He was chief of staff of the Hawaiian Department , 1941 – 1942 , and commanding general of the 25th Infantry Division — the " Tropic Lightning " Division — on Oahu and in operations against the Japan ese on Guadalcanal , 1942 – 1943 and on New Georgia in from July to October 1943 . Transferred to Europe , he commanded VII Corps in the Normandy invasion and in Western European campaigns to the German surrender , 1944 – 1945 . VII Corps is best known for the leading role it played in Operation Cobra ; less well known is Collins ' contribution to that plan . Collins was promoted to temporary lieutenant general ( April ) and permanent brigadier general ( June ) , 1945 . He was deputy commanding general and chief of staff of Army Ground Forces , August – December 1945 ; was director of information ( later chief of public information ) of the Army , 1945 – 1947 ; was deputy ( later vice ) chief of staff of the United States Army , 1947 – 1949 ; was promoted to temporary general and permanent major general , January 1948 . Collins was chief of staff of the United States Army , August 16 , 1949 – August 15 , 1953 ; as such he was the Army ’ s senior officer throughout the Korean War . He directed the Army ’ s operation of the railroads , brought the first Special Forces group into the order of battle , and was closely associated with the development of the Army ’ s contribution to the newly established North Atlantic Treaty Organization . He was representative of the United States to the Military Committee and the Standing Group of NATO , 1953 – 1954 ; was special representative of the United States in Vietnam with ambassadorial rank , 1954 – 1955 ; returned to his NATO assignment ; retired from active service , March 1956 . Collins died in Washington , D . C . , on September 12 , 1987 . He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery .