Rediscovering Maj. Gen. John F. Curry

[tdepp]

^^I think charisma in a leader is a good thing.  We want to follow people who fire us up.  But when they cross the line into megalomania, then they, their troops, us, and the world can have some major problems.

I'd say in the lists of show horses and plow horses you cite above, history has ultimately been kindest to the plow horses.   Raging Democrat that I am, I would follow Eisenhower or Powell in an instant because of their cool demeanors, good sense, intelligence, fairness, and ability to plan.

[Smithsonia]

^^^^
Todd;
Well I think that you are looking for the quotes; "Pride goes before the fall. The higher they fly, the farther they fall AND The bigger they are the harder they fall." It works for people in the military, political, entertainment, religious, business, media, and craft fields too. Humans that get caught up in their press are often made to regret their conceit.

But then again we are all human and need to account for that in our conduct. Excuse me, President Nixon and Robert MacNamara are calling from the after life to explain themselves yet again... I gotta go.

[Cecil DP]

CecilDP;
Spaatz, MacArthur and a couple more were over 50 too. Jack would've have been about 54 or 55 at the start of the war. If Jack had been 5 years younger I still think he'd have stayed in the states for the reasons listed above. But that's just conjecture on my part and nothing more.

Spaatz was just a year younger than Eisenhower and just 50 when the war started and he reported to the ETO. Of Course MacA was over 60 and actually recalled from the retired list just before the war. But with the animosity MacA exhibited to Marshall throughout his career, maybe it was best he stay 10,000 miles away from D.C. Besides which FDR wanted him to stay in command in the SWPOA due to his "brilliant" campaign in the opening days of the war.

[Smithsonia]

CecilDP;
MacArthur had been on active duty in the American Army for 35 (or so) years before retiring in 1937. As late as July '41 MacArthur was a military training consultant and Field Marshall in the Philippine Army. Coincidentally, July '41 was about the same time that John Curry was sorting out 2nd Air Force in Denver - July 41 Douglas MacArthur again became a Lt. General in the American Army and South Pacific Field Commander. Interestingly, out of respect to Philippine government (as Field Marshall outranks Lt. Gen.) and as a show of his own independence - MacArthur donned another iconic element of his wardrobe... A Philippine General Officer's Service Cap which he wore throughout the war. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_MacArthur

Who was MacArthur's SWPA Air Ops Commander? John Curry protege, friend, and former staff chief - Gen. George Kenney. Who was Kenney's Air Commander in China? Claire Chennault - another Curry Boy. Of course the CBI was eventually under combined command with the British and Lord Louie Mountbatten. But the MacArthur arrangement with the President of the Phillipines - was the obvious template arrangement for Chennault and Chaing Kai Shek.

I am still trying to find Curry's fingerprints on these matters. For instance - Curry's Chief of Maintenance Harry Potts and (Curry's 2nd AF Ferry Command-Ops Deputy Chief) Robert Scott (God is My Co-Pilot) both wind up with the Flying Tigers. Curry's personal aid winds up as Kenney's aid within a year. A State Dept. civilian, named Currie but no relation to Jack, sent Chennault his P-40s through the lend lease act and Currie was another Curry boy, etc. etc. (this is but a partial list) These coincidences are SO numerous, repetitive, redundant, and intriguing. I "think" John Curry was first recommending, then staging, and then cherry picking American personnel for both commands as early as June '39 and as late as Aug/Sept. '41 - when America was still neutral but likely to soon be at war.

Afterall, Jack and Chennault had done the same thing in '34 at Tuskegee - with the training of Black pilots for "private" duty in Abyssinia/Ethiopian campaign. This whole Soldier of Fortune, Mercinary for hire, keep your citizenship and military rank while serving in a foreign war seems to be almost routine just before WW2.

Jack Curry seems such an unlikely candidate to have done these things without authorization - that there must be a paper trail some where.
The timing is just after Jack Curry left the War Plans Air division in the Army Chief of Staff Office (where he worked with Eisenhower and for Arnold) and a rather leisurely assignment as Commander Hamilton Field (Marin County) but before the stiff assignment of organizing 2nd Air Force.

I wish this particular posting was a bit more compact but I have so many wispy threads, character's names, and far flung fields full of intrigue... that this part of the Curry puzzle is going to take awhile.

[Smithsonia]

I was reading an oral history of Eugene Eubank sent to me by Lt. Col. Mark Hess. It has detail that I haven't had before regarding Maxwell during the Curry Administration. Gen. Eubank talks about the lively debates at Maxwell, circa '32-'36. The publishing of papers: the cogent and editorially honed arguments over coffee, drinks, and hangar flying sessions. Gen. Eubank's compared it to the Command Staff School at Leavenworth. "At Leavenworth you were taught what they wanted you to know. At Maxwell you invented what everyone wanted to know and got to meet everyone who wanted to know it."

Great Quote!!!

Gen. Eubank also went into some detail on the failings of Billy Mitchell and his two antagonists. Gens. Menoher and Patrick.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_T._Menoher
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mason_Patrick
Both of whom were sidelined early after the Mitchell Court Martial Affair by the men of vision Arnold, Spaatz, Emmons, Eakers, Curry, Olds, Kenney, and Chennault. It is interesting to me that Jack Curry was in Washington and NC of CAP in Jan. 42 when Gen. Patrick was laid to rest at Arlington. Jack didn't attend the funeral. Or, at least Patrick's funeral is not in Curry's diary entries for that day.

Gen. Eubank worked for Jack Curry on at least 3 occasions. Maxwell, Mitchell's staff in the Mexican Campaign, and Hawaii.
http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioID=5370

[Smithsonia]

^^^^^^^

I found another place that Gene Eubank worked for Jack Curry. Gen. Eubank was a test pilot at the original Wright Field and before that assigned on Jack Curry's Staff at McCook Field while Wright (Patterson) Field was being built in '26-'27. Truly, Eubank is another Curry Boy. Gen. Eubank is not included in the Curry file before as likely the correspondence regarding him had been destroyed when Jack burned his files in the 50's, or after Jack's death when the family got rid of the much of the remaining files.

If one takes into account all of the men and discussions under Jack Curry's Maxwell command '32-'36 - It seems obvious that Maxwell was not only the center of the Air Corps universe in the mid-thirties, but that the Air Force of WW2 through the modern era was formulated during that same time at Maxwell. Maxwell '32-'36, not the War Dept, not the Pentagon, Command Schools, or Wright Pat, was the nursery of Modern American Air Power.

Eliminating the technology of stealth and unmanned air vehicles as epic changes for the Air Force, everything that comes before that traces right back to Maxwell: Strategic Bombing, Air Superiority Doctrine, Forward Tactical control, the combat box, even air to air refueling (Remember Eaker/Spaatz in Question Mark? http://www.atalink.org/hallfame/eaker.html) Logisitical support, heavy, medium, and tactical lift, command and control doctrines, specialized tactical fighters, regimented training of personnel, configuration of air bases, deep penetration strikes, industrial capacity studies, etc. etc.

Of course lessons were learned later too. Some of those taught to us in War by both the Japanese and Germans... but the source, the root, the well-spring of American Air Power Doctrine is Maxwell '32-'36 and the super star officers located, hand picked, under the command of John F. Curry.

[Smithsonia]

This was sent to me today by Lt. Co. Mark Hess of the Georgia Wing. It is from Gen. Haywood Hansells book on Air Doctrine:
Air Doctrine and Strategic Principles

The Air Corps Tactical School was established at Langley Field, Virginia, in 1920. Beginning as a Field Officers' School, it did not expand its scope of instruction and stress airpower employment until the end of the decade. Then, the school was blessed with a group of gifted leaders and independent thinkers -- Robert Olds, Kenneth Walker, Harold Lee George, Donald Wilson, Muir "Santy" Fairchild -- names honored by the Air War College, Air Command and Staff College, Air Force Academy, and throughout the modern Air Force. But there was another stalwart leader who has received less recognition, though he should be listed among the best. This was John F. Curry, Commandant of the Air Corps Tactical School from 1931 to 1935, a period when the principal texts were prepared for Air Warfare and Principles of Air Force Employment. Much of the basic strategy of American air power was developed under his regime. At a time when the War Department was threatening dire punishment from above, Curry protected the freedom of his faculty. He made possible the development of doctrines of air power which formed the basis for the creation of the Army Air Forces (AAF) and its employment in World War II. Under his leadership the school bridged the transition from broad generalities of pioneering air prophets to more pragmatic application of air power in attainment of specific objectives.

Gen. Hansell is considered the father of American Strategic Bombing and in the same Hansell the street is named in which CAP's Headquarters is located at Maxwell. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haywood_S._Hansell

[Smithsonia]

Regarding the Vestiges of John Curry to be found in CAP today. Please note:

CAP has always had Command and Staff organized to military standards. The current ICS system, while often spoken of as coming from Wildland Fire Managers, actually is built upon General's Command (War) Staff circa 1932.

Brief, debrief, command staff, logistics, planning, operations, training then credential validation, resources, intelligence, public relations, mission staff, (IC) commander, finance, ops tempo, strike teams, etc, etc, etc, have all been part of CAPs systems since day one. These terms while new to some have been part of CAP since 1941.

When you talk to the military or allied agencies... when you talk ICS/NIMS... remind them where the terms, organization, and plans came from. Gently remind your counterparts that these were installed by Maj. Gen. John F. Curry at the first official CAP staff meeting which was on Dec. 17th 1941 at Bolling Field Washington DC. Respectfully remind them that the original system was installed by Gen. Douglas MacArthur in '32. Propose to them that the system was refined from a generally similar system that had been in place since Gen. Pershing and the Mexican Expedition of 1917. Suggest to them that all of the Civil Defense Authority Components were arranged just this way as of July 17th 1941. This is long before the Police, Fire, Rescue, Disaster managers ever heard about these procedures.

Of course pieces of this go back to Napoleon, the Romans, and the Spartans... but that will just confuse the issue of lineage.

[Smithsonia]

According to some folks I have talked to in the last few months there is a misunderstanding about the organizational declared date and the actual date in which CAP began. The announcement date is of course Dec. 1st 1941. But we have found nearly routine references to Civil Air Patrol throughout the summer and fall of '41. These references come from Colorado, Florida, Texas, California, Georgia, Maryland, New York, and Washington DC.

For instance from the St. Petersburg Florida Times Nov. 14th 1941.

CIVIL AIR PATROL MEETING DELAYED
"A conference of the Florida Wing, Civil Air Patrol, scheduled to meet at the Coast Guard Air base has been postponed until further notice by orders of headquarters in Washington... ... delay in completing the National Plan has made this postponement necessary."

So as you can see from this announcement we have a Florida Wing and a Washington Headquarters in Nov. 1941. Frankly this is one of hundreds of references from around the country prior to Dec. 1st. '41. There are also pictures of personnel wearing khaki uniforms - again the Florida Wing as early as Oct. 1941.

As of yet we don't know how formal or informal things were before the Dec. 1st date but there were people referring to themselves as CAP. Later these same people would be official in every regard so this isn't some coincidence.

Again, my thanks to Mark Hess of the Georgia Wing for passing this along.

[JC004]

It was delayed cuz it didn't exist?   

[James Shaw]

This was due to the CAP being organized. The date December 1, 1941 refers to the initial filing of the paper work and December 8, 1941 is the date that the paperwork was confirmed. I will look at my records some more but I believe that is the reasoning.

[Smithsonia]

^^^^^^
Jim;
Civil Air Patrol, and in this I mean the same Civil Air Patrol that we are members of today, is in name at least part of the Civil Defense Act in Mar/Apr 41. (There are a series of policy decisions that come along in quick succession after FDR is reelected and sworn in for a 3rd time in Jan. '41) I've got numerous previous posts on this matter.

So the time line as I have it goes LaGuardia and Curry talk in late July or early Aug. 41. The recruitment of Wing Commanders begins within a few weeks. Oct. 5th. '41 is the nomination date for the Wing Commanders. John Curry tells his family that he is taking the CAP job just before school starts in Sept. '41 but doesn't tell his family that they are moving to Washington DC until Oct or early Nov. '41. (making me think Curry thought for a time he would stay in Denver, perhaps he didn't think he was going to with stay on at CAP any longer than Dec. '41)

Various bands of formally named (but perhaps informally organized groups line up for Wings as early as Oct. '41. John Curry is in Washington in late Oct. There was a big meeting with Generals Arnold and Marshall that laid out all the volunteer services under the Civil Defense Authority. Supposedly this was to be the first CAP announcement date. It is postponed until Nov. 17 or 19th (I can't tell as this letter is on onion skin and hard to read) Anyway, that date is obviously moved back again. Probably the Florida Wing was given the OK to have the organizational meeting but had to postpone due to the change of date.

I think it was a fluid situation. I think that people were working as fast as they could in a time when fax (yes there was a form of a fax machine at that time http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellschreiber) and long distance calls were a rarity and travel was by train and only occasionally by slow plane. So it seems to me that the fall of '41 is a most interesting and telling time. Things were in rapid flux. The flux made the postponment in the article I am referring too.

As an addition to the dates above. Robert Olds doesn't take over John Curry's 2nd Air Force job until Jan. '42. AND, Delos Emmons is replaced as Commander of all Volunteer Organizations (he is sent to Hawaii to replace Gen. Short after Pearl Harbor attack about Dec. 14th '41) but Emmons replacement doesn't take over until early Feb. 42. As such most CAP Wings and Command and Staff at HQ are not fully organized until Feb/Mar. 42.

[BillB]

Reference the "St.Petersburg Times" story. The Squadron there was disbanded in 1944. The Squadron had been a Senior Squadron serving MacDill Army Air Base and what is not St.Petersburg Clearwater Army Airfield as well as the Coast Guard Air Station. In 1947, I got permission from Major Jack Baumberger, Group 3 Commander to start a Squadron in St. Petersburg. At the first meeting 250 prospective cadets and twenty prospective Senior members attended the first meeting. Of these 125 cadet joined CAP along with 12 Senior members. Three of the Seniors had been in the original Squadron. They said the Squadron was formed prior to 1 December 1941. The Squadron is still in existance as SER FL066.

[a2capt]

Wow. 262 at the opening open house. How times have changed.

1947.. and the communication method was the town crier and the newspaper.

So there was a 3 year gap of no presence, and it's been there ever since.  Bounced around meeting locations I'd imagine. Any building from back when has probably been flattened or had it's asbestos and lead paint chased away..

[Smithsonia]

^^^^^
According to Flying Minute Men (Neprud book) 1948 version Chapter 2 Civilians With Wings pg. 31 Paragraph 2 sentence 2:

"In April 1941 the Governors of Colorado and Missouri approved Air Squadrons for their states. {{{{Notice that Neprud doesn't say Civil Air Patrol Squadrons at this point}}}} The well-organized Florida Defense Force headed by "Ike" Vemilya and including many of the nations top pilots, entered the arena in May. As the summer wore on, Alabama, Kentucky, Ohio, and Texas went into action."

Then skip down to the next to last paragraph page 31:
"The Committee submitted a program late in June 1941. Reed Landis, World War 1 Ace, and an aeronautical expert, was appointed aviation consultant to the OCD (Office of Civilian Defense) director late that summer ('41) to assist with
development of the plan and to help guide the project past the shoals of official opposition. Working with the advice and support of the country's leading airmen, Landis and (Gill Robb) Wilson whipped the paper organization into shape by early October ('41)."

While I have many problems with the accuracy of much of the Neprud book, this seems pretty close to what we are finding in the contemporary (newspaper) accounts and in the correspondence collection too. The exception being that I have found lots of mentions of Landis, Curry, Laguardia, Guy Gannett, etc. - through this period of time. BUT, very little contemporary corroboration regarding Gill Robb Wilson. GRW seems to be most involved with the NAA and I found nothing specific regarding his service in CAP during the summer of '41, except in the Neprud book.

[BillB]

a2Capt

Checking Google Earth, I find that all of the 1940's meeting locations are long gone except for what was called Hanger 3 at Albert Whitted Airport. One location which was the U.S. Merchent Marine Academy is now part of the St. Petersburg campus of the University of South Florida and the building has been replaced. The location at Pinellas International Airport is also gone replaced by an industrail park. A building used as mission headquarters at at Albert Whitted  Airport, is also missing.
By the way how many clusters do you get on a cadet recruiting ribbong for 137 members?

[capn_shad]

Just got back from the Colorado Wing Conference where I had the privilege of hearing about General Curry, seeing some of the artifacts mentioned here, and some other interesting bits of Colorado Wing history as well from Ed.  What a fantastic storyteller!  If you guys think he's great in this thread, hopefully you will get to hear him in person someday!

Thanks for the great presentation today, it was well worth the trip!

[BillB]

There was a thread on CAPTalk about the Doolittle Raiders Reunion. Wouldn't it be great to see a Reunion of the CAP Sub-Chasers at the National Conference? How many are still alive? How many do you know of in your area? They are a living piece of CAP History and flew for CAP the same months Doolittle made the raid on Japan.

[RiverAux]

I'm not surprised that there was a bunch of stuff going on before CAP was officially launched.  Not that much different than when you start a new squadron today -- you've already got your leadership ready to go before you charter the unit.  I think that a lot of states had their own state-level version of CAP before CAP was formed, sometimes associated with a State Guard (SDF) and sometimes not.   

[Smithsonia]

RiverAux;
There were numerous ad-hoc state groups of pilots and planes starting as earlier as 1939. Gill Robb Wilson was instrumental in beginning many of these. Some were called things like Coastal Patrol, State Defense Authority, Civilian Forestry Patrol, Civilian Air Patrol, Civilian Watch Patrol, Air Patrol, Air Cadets, etc, etc. The NAA helped set up many of these like minded but fragmented organizations. Many if not most of these were the starter yeast of Civil Air Patrol. Many members, many planes, many pilots, many cadets would come through these organizations to be claimed by Civil Air Patrol in '41. Also the WAACs, WASPS, United States Nursing Corps, and the like would be incorporated through out the war and raise the ranks and membership of CAP. CAP was never a stand alone organization. It however has benefited by the foresight of many. I think this is where we find the heart of the work performed by Gill Robb Wilson and many of our forefathers (Ike Vermilya, http://www.group7hq.com/wright-vermilya.aspx Guy Gannett and GRW) and fore-mothers (Jackie Cochran).

To all of these kindred organization we owe a debt of gratitude. Most of these are forgotten but could be a part of any good historians region or state projects. Historians - please consider adding these organizations to your to do list.

Shad Brown; Thank you or the compliment above and let me return it in kind. It was nice to have you in the little presentation of the Wing History projects and congratulations on your fine work as Pueblo Squadron's Commander.