Kenneth John Collea was born September 7, 1924 in Utica, NY to Thomas Collea (1899-1948) and Caroline Gogliotti (1906-2002). His dad was from Italy, coming to the United States in 1905. His mom was from New York. She was just 17 years old when she married Thomas on September 12, 1923 in Utica, NY. His dad worked as an assembler at an air compressor company and later as a refrigerator repair man. Kenneth was their only child. He grew up in an Italian neighborhood on Mary St. in Utica next door to his mom's family the Gogliottis. He attended the Mt. Carmel school and was on their safety patrol, then Proctor High School.

When Kenneth registered for the draft on December 19, 1942 he was 5'-7" tall, weighed 165 pounds and had brown eyes and black hair. He was living on Mary St. in Utica and working at Unit Knit #1 of the Utica Knitting Mill Company. He was drafted into the service on March 29, 1943 through Utica, NY with service number 32854791. He reported having completed two years of high school and being single with no dependents. He did his training at Camp Blanding, Florida and Camp Robinson, Arkansas and was sent overseas to Europe in September 1944 as a "replacement."

A September 23, 1944 Morning Report listed him as part of Co. K, near "Donnange [sic] 1 Mi NE VP 7465 Nord de". (1 Mile Northeast of Doennange, Luxembourg. ) On October 11, 1944 he received the Combat Infantryman's Badge for exemplary conduct in action against the enemy. The 109th Infantry was part of the 28th Infantry Divisions attack in the Hürtgen Forest in western Germany in early November 1944. Sgt. Collea went "missing" in action on November 8, 1944 during this fighting. His regiment had been assigned to attack toward the town of Hürtgen. A November 14, 1944 Company Morning Report listed him as MIA as of November 8. His remains are ultimately recovered and he was buried in the Henri Chapelle 1201 Cemetery, Block C, Row 12, Grave 33. He was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project. This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen on Together We Served and Fold3.

(Please see - http://www.storiesbehindthestars.org).

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If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute, please contact Jim Greenberg at jim.greenberg@oneonta.edu.

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Sources

"2 More Uticans Killed in Action; 1 Prisoner of War, 4 Others Wounded", Utica Daily Press, Utica, NY, date and page not captured in scan. Found by searching "Collea killed Utica 1944" in Fultonhistory.com, October 17, 2026.

Ancestry.com. New York, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1847-1849, 1907-1936 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.

Announcement of his father's death under Announcements, Utica Daily Press, Utica, NY, 1948 (Month and Day illegible), pg. 21.

"Collea Missing In Europe", Utica Observer-Dispatch, Utica, NY, November 29, 1944, pg. 4.

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56280197/kenneth_john-collea: accessed 16 Oct 2026), memorial page for SGT Kenneth John Collea (7 Sep 1924–8 Nov 1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56280197, citing Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial, Henri-Chapelle, Arrondissement de Verviers, Liège, Belgium; Maintained by WWII History Fan (contributor 48178484).

Headstone Inscription and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil, 1942–1949. Microfilm Series A1 43, NAID: 7408555. Records of the American Battle Monuments Commission, 1918–ca. 1995. Record Group 117. The National Archives in Washington, D.C.

National Archives at College Park; College Park, Maryland, USA; Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946; NAID: 1263923; Record Group Title: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, 1789-ca. 2007; Record Group: 64; Box Number: 05742; Reel: 238

National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Fiche__1233; Record Group 64: Records of the National Archives and Records Administration; Series: Army General Orders; NAID: 467313637.

National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Wwii Draft Registration Cards For New York State, 10/16/1940 - 03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147

New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1925; Election District: 03; Assembly District: 01; City: Utica Ward 08; County: Oneida; Page: 42

"Utican Missing In Action", Utica Daily Press, Utica, NY, November 29, 1944, pg. 8.

Year: 1930; Census Place: Utica, Oneida, New York; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 0102; FHL microfilm: 2341356

Year: 1940; Census Place: Utica, Oneida, New York; Roll: m-t0627-02861; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 67-36

Supporting Documents

The Morning Reports below from the National Archives are provided to help document his military history.