Rediscovering Maj. Gen. John F. Curry

[Smithsonia]

I was in Colorado Springs this past weekend for the Colorado Wing Conference. I stayed at the Embassy Suites off Woodman Dr. Next door was ENT Federal Employees Credit Union. This facility is named after Gen. Uzal Ent. He was: one of the Curry Boys from Maxwell who I have written about earlier in this thread, Commander during the '43 Ploesti Romania Oil Field raids in WW2, former 2nd Air Force Commander in Colo. Spgs., and the namesake of Ent Air Force Base the first home of NORAD (now Northcom) Headquarters. http://www.generals.dk/general/Ent/Uzal_Girard/USA.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ent_Air_Force_Base

Ent AFB is the first place that the Canadian Mapleleaf flag was ever displayed internationally, in front of the old Headquarters building at Ent. The Commonwealth Union Jack had been the Canadian Flag until the 50s. I've heard that NORAD not having England as a participant, made the British Military a little nervous, as they didn't want to be included in a nuclear strike on North America. So, the Brits insisted that Canada use the Maple leaf flag that we know today. ( this unconfirmed story comes from a fellow I know who served at that base at that time)

[Smithsonia]

I just finished watching "Command Decision" on Turner Classic Movies. While a fictional account. It covers the darkest days of the 9th Air Force's Strategic Bombing Campaign of Europe in WW2. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040242/

In it's way it is true. Take both Heywood Hansell and Ira Eakers fictionalized by Clark Gable's character, Jimmy Doolittle for Brian Donlevy, and Carl Spaatz for Walter Pigeon... well you'll get the idea. Watch the movie and you'll see the parallels.

[Gunner C]

Ent AFB is the first place that the Canadian Mapleleaf flag was ever displayed internationally, in front of the old Headquarters building at Ent. The Commonwealth Union Jack had been the Canadian Flag until the 50s. I've heard that NORAD not having England as a participant, made the British Military a little nervous, as they didn't want to be included in a nuclear strike on North America. So, the Brits insisted that Canada use the Maple leaf flag that we know today. ( this unconfirmed story comes from a fellow I know who served at that base at that time)

Maple Leaf was adopted in 1965 (I remember when the ceremony was on TV).  Before that the Canadians used this flag:



It's a fairly handsome flag.

[Smithsonia]

I spent the day (6-7-10) with Sheila Curry DeKalb - Jack Curry's daughter and last remaining first generation relative - She looked through the Curry file on CAPTALK and was most gratified. She didn't know many of the stories posted, had forgotten some of the other stories, and added some dates and personages to still other stories. So when I get back to Denver, I'll be updating this thread.

Sheila turned 84 last month. She is as dear a woman as God made. Of course her mother and father are long gone but so is her husband, sister Joan, and son Dwayne. It is one of the great pleasures in life to listen to her talk and know that the history of Jack Curry is coming straight from the life he lived. Straight from the last person who knew him as a vigorous man. Straight from heart. It was a great pleasure to listen as her tear welled eyes relived the past for me.

She particularly appreciated the Captalk members who've posted and kept interest in this thread. I thank you too. I had a very good day.

[BillB]

One of the falacies of the cadet program is the Curry Award is the first achievement. News cadets earn the award with zero knowledge of who General Curry was. The rest of the Phase one awards are better known to cadets. In the average Squadron, I doubt that over ten percent, both cadets and seniors know who General Curry was, and his relationship and goals of the early CAP.

[Cecil DP]

When I hold a cadet review board, I ask them to tell me something about the person the award is named after,. If they don't know they're told IE Doollittles Raid on Tokyo, 1st PhD in Aeronautical Engineering, and led 8th AF.

[Smithsonia]

A quote about 2 of my favorite characters in the Curry thread. Gen. George Kenney said of Gen. Claire Chennault.

"In time of War the rebel against accepted doctrine who wins - is decorated, promoted, and hailed as a great military Captain,
but in time of peace the nonconformist is looked upon as a trouble maker. He is seldom marked for promotion to higher rank and is generally
retired or induced to resign."

We'll have pictures, stories, monographs, maps, and military records of both Chennault and Kenney online soon.
Here's the Monograph of Chennault: http://www.scribd.com/doc/33333848/General-Claire-Chennault

[Smithsonia]

This is a pertinent commentary and arguable. The headline:

McChrystal Bites the Billy Mitchell Bullet

In this thread I have tried to get readers to better understand the issues between command and Billy Mitchell, Claire Chennault, and a few more Air Corps brand names. We've seen a perfect example today in the firing of Stan McChrystal. The reason I love and teach history is because it is always about the news and not the dead. Both spoke their mind but improperly so.

[Pumbaa]

I was hoping that my boss General James Mattis would have taken over.  But moving Patreaus in was a brilliant move.  The weird thing is, this is sort of a demotion in a way.  If the #2 man at CENTCOM takes over, then in fact he then becomes Petreaus' boss!

General Mattis was passed over for Marine Commandant.  He leaves JFCOM this fall.  I fear now he will retire.

I agree this is a great example.

[Smithsonia]

Below is Gen. Hap Arnold Speaking to the integration of African American Troops and the building of the Tuskegee Airmen. Regarding the period of July '40-June '41. Below is taken from a book AND the entire book can be found here: http://www.history.army.mil/books/wwii/11-4/index.htm

THE QUOTE IS:
At this point of threatened impasse General Arnold, Chief of the Air Corps, asked, in a marginal note, "Gen. Johnson How should we go about training the colored mechanics for 1 squadron with the least trouble and effort?" 20 Within a week, the Air Corps prepared a plan. It recommended to G-3 that, "if it is imperative that negro tactical units be formed," instruction should be undertaken to provide men for one Corps and Division Observation Squadron, with training concentrated at "a recognized colored school, such as Tuskegee" in order to eliminate the possibility of racial difficulties which might occur elsewhere. "Although a definite decision may have been reached at this time to organize colored units in the Air Corps," the memorandum continued, "no country in the world has been able to organize a satisfactory air unit with colored personnel." Three years, the Air Corps remonstrated, would be necessary to train a crew chief, two more years for a hangar chief, and a total of ten years for a line chief.21 That a Negro combat unit could be formed in time to be of value to the national defense at all was doubted. The day after it received this memorandum G-3 called for the submission of a plan to train a Negro single engine pursuit unit.22

Looking at the quotes above - you can see what the Tuskegee Airmen were up against.

[tdepp]

This is a pertinent commentary and arguable. The headline:

McChrystal Bites the Billy Mitchell Bullet

In this thread I have tried to get readers to better understand the issues between command and Billy Mitchell, Claire Chennault, and a few more Air Corps brand names. We've seen a perfect example today in the firing of Stan McChrystal. The reason I love and teach history is because it is always about the news and not the dead. Both spoke their mind but improperly so.

I think there is an important difference.  Mitchell, as I understand it, was a bit too aggressive in pushing his air power agenda.  McChrystal may have had an agenda but he and his staff had a total disrespect for the President and his advisors and the concept of civilian control of the military.  Notice that even Obama's harshest GOP critics supported his sacking of McChrystal.  History proved Mitchell's ideas on air power correct; history might even prove McChrystal correct in how he wanted to conduct the Afghan War. But it will not support his personal insults of his CINC and the VP and who is ultimately in charge of the military in our country.   

[Smithsonia]

^^^^^^
TDepp
I was thinking something different. Basically both men had a history of outlandish statements and inflated sense of self persecution. Both were warned to tone it down and both were sacked.

Billy Mitchell and Stan McChrystal crossed a line that no one could fully support. Both men left among supporters who could no longer justify this support. So I think it is a good analogy but don't want this thread highjacked to defend this argument.

[Smithsonia]

In this thread I have spoken about Jackie Cochran several times. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacqueline_Cochran

The WASPs/WACs/ and CAP have many common ancestors and duties.

Here's the WASPs training yearbook from Sweetwater TX Avenger Field in 1943. From the extensive collection of Lt. Col. Mark Hess.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/27788417/WWII-1943-Avenger-Field-Yearbook

Once again - Give it time to load.

[Smithsonia]

I went to Peterson AFB in Colorado Springs Sat and Sun for the CO/WG Guided Training Exercise. We were stationed at the Aero Club along the old WW2 hangar line. We were about 200 yards from the old control tower. A control tower built when John Curry was 2nd AF Commander in Aug '41. T

At Peterson the view is grand and the history of the base is even grander. This is where Generals Olds, Ent, and Armstrong Commanded the 2nd Air Force...all Curry Boys from '32-'36 at MAXWELL. (basically 2nd Ar Force was assigned Bomber training in the Western US during WW2)

The tower received Lt.Col. Paul Tibbets in July 1945. He reported to the military the successful A-Bomb test at Trinity site
New Mexico. This is where the bomber force launched that would eventually end the war. Gen. Frank Armstrong was in command took 30 B29s from Peterson and picked up 8 more from Wendover (including Tibbets) and flew on to Tinnian in late July '45. In other words exactly 65 years ago. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_A._Armstrong

During the GTE, our Civil Air Patrol planes ran up framed by Pikes Peak and made for some amazing photos. I was simply over powered by the weekend of PIO duty on this remarkable and historic base.

[Smithsonia]

Here is an extensive article regarding Air Maneuvers On the West Coast from 1933.
Give it plenty of time to load. It took 10 minutes on my computer.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/35177432/1933-Coastal-Artillery-Journal-Oct

Beginning on Page 355. Ending on page 361. This article details the initial work done by the Curry Boys at Air Tactical Command in Maxwell. The names of Air Corps brand names like Maj. Spaatz, Lt. Col. Arnold, and Lt. Col. Curry are laced throughout this extensive article. If you have been a fan of the work of the Curry Boys at Maxwell this is a must read.

Taken from the extensive collection of Lt. Col Mark Hess, I thank him for its use in this thread.

[LTC Don]

I went to Peterson AFB in Colorado Springs Sat and Sun for the CO/WG Guided Training Exercise. We were stationed at the Aero Club along the old WW2 hangar line. We were about 200 yards from the old control tower. A control tower built when John Curry was 2nd AF Commander in Aug '41. T

At Peterson the view is grand and the history of the base is even grander. This is where Generals Olds, Ent, and Armstrong Commanded the 2nd Air Force...all Curry Boys from '32-'36 at MAXWELL. (basically 2nd Ar Force was assigned Bomber training in the Western US during WW2)

The tower received Lt.Col. Paul Tibbets in July 1945. He reported to the military the successful A-Bomb test at Trinity site
New Mexico. This is where the bomber force launched that would eventually end the war. Gen. Frank Armstrong was in command took 30 B29s from Peterson and picked up 8 more from Wendover (including Tibbets) and flew on to Tinnian in late July '45. In other words exactly 65 years ago. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_A._Armstrong

During the GTE, our Civil Air Patrol planes ran up framed by Pikes Peak and made for some amazing photos. I was simply over powered by the weekend of PIO duty on this remarkable and historic base.

I joined CAP as a cadet in November of 1981 with the Colorado Springs Cadet Squadron, 05030.  We met in the Aero Club building on one end (they had the other end).  Don't know if it is still there in the same place now, but I still remember those days fondly.  I still have friends who were former cadets in the area.


Cheers

[Smithsonia]

John Curry graduated from West Point in the Class of  1908. Here's his natty class picture:
http://digital-library.usma.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/stockbridge&CISOPTR=1569&CISOBOX=1&REC=1

West Point has just recently added all their yearbooks (titled "the Howitzer) online. This was pointed out by Lt. Col. Mark Hess
and I hope to glean more Curry information soon.

[Smithsonia]

Here's a series of photos taken from West Point's yearbook (The Howitzer) circa 1907-08.
http://digital-library.usma.edu/cdm4/results.php?CISOOP1=any&CISOBOX1=1908&CISOFIELD1=CISOSEARCHALL&CISOROOT=all&CISOSTART=1,21

You'll see John Curry's photo at the top of the page. Above that and to the right is a navigation tab that will let you peruse all the pictures from that era. It is amazing to see the ancient quality of West Point 1908 and compare it to WW2 Army Air Corps bases that were built by the Major General. There was an epoch change that went through his life from horse drawn caisson to B-29. Ramble around this picture library and consider
the distance his life traveled.

Once again, I thank Lt. Col. Mark Hess for providing this material.

[Smithsonia]

Jackie Cochran is one of my favorite research figures in the Curry Files. Remarkable human in every respect. Here is an interesting video. It is a behind the scenes tour of the Air Force Academy. Jackie admits that pretty girls shouldn't be around the campus. It sounds like she is against female cadets. In 1974 - Jackie,  who was urging for Female AF Academy Cadets... makes a provocative comment. However, it was about the social distractions that non-student "pretty girls" might cause at the then all male academy. Listen and see what you think. This is a great piece of history and a display of how an innocent comment can become warped through history.

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675032923_Jacqueline-Cochran_United-States-Air-Force-Academy_chapel_cadets-walk

From the extensive files and vital archives of Lt. Col. Mark Hess.

[Smithsonia]

Another video from the archives of the Air Force Academy:

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675074799_Civil-Air-Patrol-Pilots_aircraft-crash-in-mountain_spotting_dispatch-of-rescue-party

You'll enjoy a look at a WW2 CAP Air and Ground Rescue... including evacuation by mule with the stretcher mounted to a saddle.

Another remarkable piece from the Lt. Col. Mark Hess Collection.