Rediscovering Maj. Gen. John F. Curry

High Speed Low Drag · January 29, 2010, 08:22:56 AM

Quote from: BillB on January 26, 2010, 03:52:37 PM
Ed The photo of the flight cap you have in your post is a female flight cap. I doubt Gen Curry wore one LOL

I took it to mean that the pic was of a uniform color shade similar to the one he found. It is not a pic of the actual cap.

Smithsonia · January 30, 2010, 01:44:40 PM

Wing Commander Col. Ed Phelka will bring a couple Curry general officer stars and Curry's command Wings to the Winter Board meeting.

If I were you, I wouldn't try to challenge the Colonel. He'll trump your coin with real Curry Militaria and drink for free all week.

Smithsonia · February 05, 2010, 11:19:41 PM

ANOTHER CURRY BOY (more or less) is tied into CAP history. I am researching the first major CAP rescue in 1942. According to the Neprud Book Flying Minutemen it was in Dec. It was actually Nov. 17 (16th-22nd) 1942, near Taos New Mexico. Below you can read about the Commanding General of Shilling AFB where the crashed plane was assigned. I'll have more on this crash in a different thread. Ken Wolfe worked for Jack Curry at Maxwell/Air Tac Command, 4th Dist. Tech and Training Command, and they attended Gen. Staff College in Leavenworth, KS at the same time. Jack Curry and he must've talked about their bomber crash. Jack Curry and Ken Wolfe must've discussed the capabilities of CAP. These coincidences pop up all the time.

KEN WOLFE IS a Curry Boy (although one by proxy) (he's also a Colorado Boy although not raised here) look at his resume below and figure that he worked for Jack 3 times or maybe 4 and was also working for him at the time of this crash... Too many coincidences.

Courtesy of the United States Air Force
LIEUTENANT GENERAL KENNETH B. WOLFE
Retired, Died October 1, 1971

Kenneth Bonner Wolfe was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1896. He attended high school in Portland, Ore., and San Diego, California, and in January 1918 enlisted as a private first class in the Aviation Section of the Signal Reserve Corps.

He received ground and flying training at Berkeley, California, and Park Field, Tennessee, and in July 1918 was commissioned a temporary second lieutenant in the Air Service. He served for a brief period at Park Field as a flying instructor and then moved to Souther Field, Georgia., in the same capacity. In January 1919 he returned to Park Field and in March of that year went to Carlstrom Field, Florida. In July 1919 he was made officer in charge of flying at Souther Field, Georgia, and the following January was appointed chief engineer officer at the Air Intermediate Depot at Americus, Georgia. On July 1, 1920 he received his Regular Army commission as a second lieutenant in the Air Service, and was promoted to first lieutenant that same day.

He began a tour as flying instructor at Brooks Field, Texas, in November 1922, and during this time assumed charge of aero repair at that station in addition to his other duties. In May 1926 he moved to Clark Field, Philippine Islands, as plans and operations officer.

Returning to the United States in August 1928, he became engineering officer and parachute officer at Langley Field, Virginia. In May 1926 he moved to Clark Field, Philippine Islands, as plans and operations officer.

Returning to the United States in August 1928, he became engineering officer and parachute officer at Langley Field, Virginia. In July 1930 he entered the Air Corps Engineering School at Wright Field, Ohio, and after graduation in June 1931 remained for duty in the Inspection Branch, of which he later became chief. He was detailed to the Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Alabama, in August 1935, and graduated in June 1936. A year later he graduated from the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and was assigned as Air Corps representative at the Douglas Aircraft company in El Segundo, California.

In March 1939 he was named assistant chief of the Production Engineering Section at Wright Field and the following February became chief of that section. As chief of the B-29 Special Project Staff he had charge of the initial flight and service testing of the B-29 Superfortress for the Army Air Force. He later was appointed chief of the Production Division of the Materiel Center at Wright Field.

In June 1943 he became commanding general of the 58th Bombardment wing at Salina, Kan. Later, under General Wolf's leadership, the 20th Bomber Command was organized, trained and moved to India for its initial strikes against Japan from bases in western China. On June 15, 1944, he directed the first B-29 strike against Japan, which was staged from secret bases in western China.

The following month he returned to the United States to take over the Materiel Command at Wright Field. In September 1944, when the Materiel Command and Air Service Command were consolidated into the Air Technical Service Command, he became chief of engineering and procurement. He left Wright Field in April 1945 for a temporary assignment at Army Air Force headquarters in Washington.

He joined the Fifth Air Force on Okinawa in August 1945, as chief of staff and became commanding general two months later. After assuming command of the Fifth, he directed its transition from a mighty assault force to the occupational air arm of Japan and southern Korea, operating from headquarters at Nagoya, Japan.

In January 1948 he returned to the United States and was appointed director of procurement and industrial mobilization planning at Air Materiel Command headquarters at Wright Field, Ohio. He was appointed deputy chief of staff for materiel at U.S. Air Force headquarters in September 1949.

Rated a command pilot, combat observer and aircraft observer, General Wolfe has more than 7,000 hours flying time. He has been awarded the Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster and the Order of the British Empire.

General Wolfe was buried with full military honors in Section 34 of Arlington National Cemetery.

alamrcn · February 09, 2010, 06:48:43 PM

So.... Maybe CAP initial conception might have been thunked up over a beer at the O-club? :clap:

Smithsonia · February 10, 2010, 02:26:08 AM

alacrm;
Maxwell Field Officer's Club from '32-'36 must've been the center of the universe. Let us review the subjects discussed and decisions made.
1. Design the B-17 specs
2. Design the B-24 spec
3. Design the P-40 specs.
4. Design the C-47 specs
5. Design the syllabus for training African Americans and eventually the Tuskegee Airmen, the CAP and Civilian Pilot training program
6. Design the first Air Corps aerobatic team... today known as the Thunderbirds
7. Design the specs for airborne canons, rockets, and heavy machine guns
8. Design the Combat box
9. Design deep penetration bombing strikes
10. Distribute R and D funds to 22 major Air Corps design teams (Boeing, North American, Fairchild, Republic, Consolidated, etc)
11. Design the specs for incendiary bombs
12. Design the specs for the Norton Bomb sight
13. Design the specs for Pursuit training, Bomber training, Fighter training.
14. Designed the specs for the first American O2 systems for combat aircraft
15. Designed the specs for radio communications equipment and procedures for combat
16. Designed the spec for the AT6 Texan
17. Ordered another round of beers and promised kick Bosch' butt.

Well Wright Patterson and Langley participated in some of this work too... but the only Major/Colonel/General who commanded at all 3 installations and on the General's staff also, over a 11 year period... would be Jack Curry. (Actually, George Kinney did too... but he was working for Jack most of the time.)

However, I think that CAP was being discussed by Fiorella LaGuardia and Gil Robb Wilson in NY and NJ. Mostly because the Curry Boys at Maxwell were a little busy.

Smithsonia · February 18, 2010, 08:01:18 PM

I am linking up threads between CAP and the Air Corps during the early War. Jackie Cochran was a CAP Lt. Col. for Public Affairs in early '42. Gen. Robert Olds is one of the Curry boys at Maxwell Field, Senior instructor, and since 1921 when Olds worked for Curry in Hawaii - a compatriot of Jack. Today after posting the first CAP Staff to another thread (see Hysterical History- Carl Spaatz - The only CAP General?) I found this Wikipedia entry:

{{{Also in 1940, Cochran wrote a letter to Lt. Col. Robert Olds, who was helping to organize the Air Corps Ferrying Command for the Air Corps at the time. (Ferrying Command was originally a courier/aircraft delivery service, but evolved into the air transport branch of the United States Army Air Forces as the Air Transport Command). In the letter, Cochran suggested that women pilots be employed to fly non-combat missions for the new command. In early 1941, Colonel Olds asked Cochran to find out how many women pilots there were in the United States, what their flying times were, their skills, their interest in flying for the country, and personal information about them. She used records from the Civil Aeronautics Administration to gather the data.}}}

My purpose in this series of links is to determine the early use, purposes, missions, discussions, considerations, and how the Army Air Corps fashioned and formed CAP. In this case I do not think Jack Curry was specifically involved only to show that this was a small universe of people/friends/co-workers who talked together and made things happen. I'll have a good deal more on this in the coming weeks.

davidsinn · February 19, 2010, 06:00:34 PM

Quote from: Smithsonia on February 18, 2010, 08:01:18 PM
I am linking up threads between CAP and the Air Corps during the early War. Jackie Cochran was a CAP Lt. Col. for Public Affairs in early '42. Gen. Robert Olds is one of the Curry boys at Maxwell Field, Senior instructor, and since 1921 when Olds worked for Curry in Hawaii - a compatriot of Jack. Today after posting the first CAP Staff to another thread (see Hysterical History- Carl Spaatz - The only CAP General?) I found this Wikipedia entry:

{{{Also in 1940, Cochran wrote a letter to Lt. Col. Robert Olds, who was helping to organize the Air Corps Ferrying Command for the Air Corps at the time. (Ferrying Command was originally a courier/aircraft delivery service, but evolved into the air transport branch of the United States Army Air Forces as the Air Transport Command). In the letter, Cochran suggested that women pilots be employed to fly non-combat missions for the new command. In early 1941, Colonel Olds asked Cochran to find out how many women pilots there were in the United States, what their flying times were, their skills, their interest in flying for the country, and personal information about them. She used records from the Civil Aeronautics Administration to gather the data.}}}

My purpose in this series of links is to determine the early use, purposes, missions, discussions, considerations, and how the Army Air Corps fashioned and formed CAP. In this case I do not think Jack Curry was specifically involved only to show that this was a small universe of people/friends/co-workers who talked together and made things happen. I'll have a good deal more on this in the coming weeks.

Robert Olds, father of Robin Olds?

Smithsonia · February 19, 2010, 07:25:23 PM

^^^^^^^
David;
Robert Olds is the father of multiple ace Gen. Robin Olds... who by the way is buried at the Air Force Academy. Great family. God bless'em all.

By the way -- Robert Olds was cremated and his ashes were spread over the Catalina Mountains north of Tucson AZ. I guess he fell in love with the place when he was at Davis Monthan... me too. Although I've not yet been cremated, I just feel like it some days.

davidsinn · February 20, 2010, 04:00:52 PM

Quote from: Smithsonia on February 19, 2010, 07:25:23 PM
^^^^^^^
David;
Robert Olds is the father of multiple ace Gen. Robin Olds... who by the way is buried at the Air Force Academy. Great family. God bless'em all.

By the way -- Robert Olds was cremated and his ashes were spread over the Catalina Mountains north of Tucson AZ. I guess he fell in love with the place when he was at Davis Monthan... me too. Although I've not yet been cremated, I just feel like it some days.

So we indirectly have a connection to one of the best jet jockies of Vietnam? That's cool.

Smithsonia · February 22, 2010, 01:42:34 AM

Today I found out three interesting things.
1. WASPs and WAC ops were Headquartered at Bolling Field during WW2. In the same office building (or at least area - Sec. Area 3 bldg 1221, offices 133-145, 222-245) that is where Jack Curry set up the CAP in '41. http://www.radiodiaries.org/wasps.html http://www.history.army.mil/brochures/wac/wac.htm

I am guessing now that Bolling was the HQ for all of the Aux/Air Corps Services. But more research needs to be done on that. Some WACs were nurses and translators. So this one headquarters couldn't account for all operations, at least I don't think so. The organizational dates beginning in early '41 also parallel CAPs organizational dates, just a week or two difference as they proceed towards their own Auxiliary Component. WACs were mostly trained in Davenport IA and personnel was in a Washington DC Office... but ops was Bolling.

2. WASPs and WACs were treated to special USO type shows sponsored by the Civil Air Patrol. I don't have any information if the same was done for males in the service. There were 50-60 of these shows in the US.

3. These shows were set up out of Lowry Field Denver which was John Curry's Western Technical and Training Command HQ too.

These places, names, and duties - can't be just coincidental. More soon.

Smithsonia · February 26, 2010, 01:01:08 PM

To those of you who have followed this thread for 18 months this will be of little surprise. To those of you who have not seen the research it will seem heresy. So let me lay out the facts.

1. Fiorella LaGuardia is the key. Gill Robb Wilson less so. Beginning in Mar and Apr '41 America saw the War looming. Like minded Air Corps officers began rallying to the cause of Civil Defense and preparation for this War. Colonels were raised to Generals in the blink of an eye and the stroke of a pen. Chaney, Curry, Fickel, Olds, Eisenhower, and Yount were given one then 2 stars pronto. In the space of weeks or 2 months at most.
The Spring/early summer of '41 saw all of these men jump 2 grades nearly instantly.

2. Instant Colonels to Major Generals Yount, Fickel, Chaney, and Curry went to work immediately. They seized the various components in their districts, reorganized those components under central commands, and started building America into a fortress.

3. Olds organized the Ferry Command, Emmons continental defense. Chaney, Curry, Fickel, and Yount the training commands. At that time there was about 10,000 people in the Army Air Corps. (in this I mean 10,000 pilots, navigators, mechanics, secretaries, janitors, - that was the whole darn works) The plan was to build it to 1 million in 2 years. 2 million in 3 years. The facilities and schools had to be ready. The pace was furious. Gen. Delos Emmons was in charge of the volunteer Air Corps Defense Program at Bolling Field Washington DC. WAC/WAFs/WASPs/CAP/Civilian Medical Corps/Air Corps Continental Defense, etc. was all co-located at Bolling Field beginning Jan 1 '42.

4. Curry had the NW District and brought it from Spokane to Denver in June '41. Denver was more defensible I suppose than Spokane - also more centralized.

5. LaGuardia visited Curry in Denver in July '41.

6. As a prelude to war LaGuardia and Curry were to organize 150,000 members inside the CAP for defense. Yount, Fickel, and Chaney had similar requirements among their Volunteer commands. A total of 500,000 volunteers for everything from Air Raid Wardens, Fire Brigades, AirCraft Spotters, Gunnery Captains, Medical Relief, Police Liaison and Auxilary. The readiness policy called for a 1 year start up and a 2 year goal. Pearl Harbor shortened the time frame to six months.

7. Curry sent queries to all state governors for asking Army Air Corps Defense Wing Commanders in Aug. '41. (CAP was going to be part of this command) The reply date was Oct. 1st '41. The CAP was to be announced in Nov. '41, later changed to Dec. 1st. He sent this query in August '41 from his headquarters in Denver, CO>

8. LaGuardia along with Gen's. Fickel, Yount and Chaney did the same with 150,000 more volunteers in Civilian Air Defense. In a briefing in early Nov. '41 the plans were ready. Hap Arnold was briefed by Gen. Emmons. Curry, Yount, Chaney, Olds, and Fickel were present and it is believed participated in the briefing.

9. There was an organizational meeting at Bolling that was a prelude to this briefing. Curry was at Bolling for about a week in early Nov. '41. At this point the CAP was set to go, Wing Commanders had been proposed, duties were assigned, the start date for Wing activation was Feb 1st '42. Wing Commanders announced on Dec 27th, Curry was to be announced as National Commander on Dec.1st. His staff announced a week later. At this point (Early Nov. '41) for all practical purposes Curry was heading up CAP. He went home to Denver for Thanksgiving and began transition from 2nd Air Force Commander to CAP Commander. He returned to Washington on or about Nov. 27th to be there for the Dec. 1st announcement. When Pearl Harbor happened on Dec. 7th he was back in Denver. Gen. Robert Olds was announced a the new 2nd Air Force Commander on Jan. 3rd '42.

That is the timeline for the Air Corps activities and Civilian Defense Corps leading up to WW2. In this timeline
you will not find Gil Robb Wilson mentioned (hence the heresy). As of this moment we can't figure why. However it seems that once the Army took over... GRW became a minor or northeastern region/New Jersey Wing figure. Although GRW was announced on the first National Staff as COS... in the planning stage of Mar '41-Jan. 42 his name doesn't appear, except in passing. The research on this matter is fairly complete but more needs to be found and I am working on this matter.

I'd like to thank Lt. Col. Mark Hess of the Georgia Wing for linking up some of this research. His help regarding this project is invaluable.

alamrcn · February 26, 2010, 07:56:30 PM

VERY GOOD, Ed!

When you write the book :clap:, make sure you do mini-bios of some of the lesser known names. There were a couple you mentioned I've never heard of before.

This is great stuff, and probably the largest advancement in CAP origination research done in the last couple decades.

Smithsonia · February 26, 2010, 09:48:21 PM

^^^^^^^^^^^
alamrcn:

I should have done this earlier. Regarding my post above. Here's reference on most of the characters.
These figures are worthy of study, because basically in CAP - Curry is our Daddy! and These guys are our Uncles:
Gen. Delos Emmons:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delos_Carleton_Emmons
After the Attack on Pearl Harbor Gen. Emmons was rushed to Hawaii to take over Air Corps Operations and Command on Dec. 16/17th so the Civil Defense command structure back in the States was fluid from this point on. Basically, Gen Robert Olds assumed 2nd Air Force Command, from Jack Curry just after Christmas and lead the Western Division from headquarters at Peterson Field in Colorado Springs. Many of Emmons duties at Bolling were then split between Curry and Olds for the next 5 to 6 months.

Gen. Jacob Fickel:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Earl_Fickel

Gen. B.K. Yount:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barton_Kyle_Yount
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/bkyount.htm

Gen. James Chaney:
http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioID=4973

There's actually some juicy backstage gossip on some of these
guys. But, I'd like to confirm some it, before I write it up.

In a side note the daughter of Delos Emmons and Sheila Curry DeKalb
coincidentally wound up in the same retirement home in California.
They recognized each other and became fast friends. Their father's were
good friends too.

Smithsonia · February 28, 2010, 04:31:53 AM

I just got a big laugh. There was a History Channel documentary on the Red Light District of Hotel Street in Honolulu after Pearl Harbor. Apparently after Marshall Law was declared in Hawaii and the war was underway, the very popular Hotel Street establishments got even more popular. With millions of visits during the war.

Gen. Delos Emmons (see postings above) became the defacto man in charge of the Brothels of Hotel Street. This made him exceedingly uncomfortable. He turned it over to his Provost Chief and told him to handle it, and "don't bother me ever again with this business." So Army Major Frank Steers - fixed prices, saw to health issues, policed the place, sorted out the sordid, and made the rules. War is heck and makes strange bedfellows.

Smithsonia · March 01, 2010, 07:59:28 AM

Given that the previous postings on this thread have talked of the "America First" Antiwar Campaign of Pre-WW2 US, the staging of American business and volunteers for war in the spring of '41, then the active preparations for War beginning in the Summer of '41, and the summer and fall activities that eventually made the Civil Defense Authority and CAP. We now come to the consequence of these actions and the historical context.

In the Spring of '41 - Being that France, the low countries, and literally all of Continental Europe was under Nazi domination. The fact that the Blitz and Battle of Britain had gone unimpeded for 14 months - what changed in America to once and for all push us inexorably towards war, 8 months before Pearl Harbor?

1. The Lend Lease Act: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lend-Lease

2. Because of heighten belligerence in the Pacific and China -- America began an even more invigorated debate about Japan. By July 18th the US froze Japanese Assets in the States. By early Oct. '41 the US embargoed Indonesian Oil to Japan. We know the planning for Pearl Harbor began at that time.

Regarding the Lend Lease Act - I can not say if it was a result or a cause. However, I can state that once passed by Congress and signed by President Roosevelt in March '41... there was an obvious and immediate rapid order of events to secure the United States. I cannot say that America was expecting war at that moment. Only that America was preparing for War.

In March and April of '41 we reluctantly decided among the citizenry and government, which side we were on. Whom we were backing. And so, we expected to eventually be pulled into the war. It was but a matter of time. The time was 8 months. What an 8 months that must have been.

To this day, Japanese citizens, scholars, and text books will on occasion defend the Pearl Harbor attack by relating these events. Germany has long since given up such notions and has offered no such defense in years. But, revisionist historians will attack American Policies today in this same way. So be it.

When I think about those days I obviously believe that Jack Curry and his brothers in Arms were at the center of History. I also think that America fought for not just itself but Russia, Europe, and China. Eventually, because this war freed the citizens of Japan, Italy, Austria, and Germany from tyrants - we fought for them too. Remember the context the next time someone gives you a "why we hate America lecture." Add, Denmark, Luxembourg, France, Lithuania, Estonia, Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Libya, Greece, Ukraine, Serbia, Croatia, Poland, Latvia, Finland, Norway, Morocco, Panama, Kosovo, Tunisia, New Guinea, Burma, Algeria, and many more then you can state... History is not on the revisionist's side. It is on our side.

That said we have occupied the Confederate States of America for 145 years and don't plan on giving it back.

Smithsonia · March 08, 2010, 05:48:12 AM

Lt. Col. Mark Hess, Maj. Jim Shaw and to a lesser extent myself have been working on a large virtual exhibit of Curry Material. It will include articles, newspaper stories, pictures, family photos, militaria, and other items. A partial list is below. This site should be done with in a few weeks. It will be the largest concentration of Historical Curry material anywhere. Coming soon.

PUBLICATION: TITLE: DATE: PAGE/S: LOCATION: AUTHOR:

Chicago Daily Tribune (IL) Shakeup Sends New Chiefs to Four Air Units 20 July 1941 8 Bolling Field, DC N/A
Chicago Daily Tribune (IL) 90,000 Civilian Pilots to be Put in War Harness 4 Jan 1942 13 La Guardia Field, NY N/A

Ellensburg Daily Record (WA) Continue Effort to Secure Base for Ellensburg 30 Nov 1940 1 Spokane, WA N/A
Ellensburg Daily Record (WA) Second Air Force Chief Relieved 19 July 1941 3 Bolling Field, DC N/A

Los Angeles Times (CA) Army Shifts Air Commands 20 July 1941 5 Bolling Field, DC N/A

Reading Eagle (PA) 6 Army General Officers Shifted in Shakeup 21 July 1941 4 Bolling Field, DC N/A

San Jose Evening News (TX) Civilian Air Patrol in Organization 6 Jan 1942 22 La Guardia Field, NY N/A

Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Air Headquarters will be in Charge of General Curry 12 Nov 1940 1 Spokane, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Air Commander to Visit Today 15 Nov 1940 3 Spokane, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) New Air Chief Ends Brief Stay 16 Nov 1940 3 Pendleton Field, OR N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) General Curry Arrives in City 30 Nov 1940 1/3 Spokane, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Major General Curry & Family Arrive Here... 30 Nov 1940 1 Spokane, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Northwest Air District Chief is in Spokane 30 Nov 1940 1 Spokane, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) General Wash Sent to Spokane 3 Dec 1940 1 Spokane, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Air Corps Commander Inspects Plans for Sunset Port 4 Dec 1940 10 Spokane, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Reading is Favorite Pastime of Curry's 4 Dec 1940 10 Spokane, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Chamber Elects Nine Trustees 10 Dec 1940 1 Spokane, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Army Engineers will Boss Work 10 Dec 1940 3 Sunset Field, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Air Corps Units to Arrive Soon at Fort Wright 12 Dec 1940 3 Sunset Field, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Air Base Likely to Remain 13 Dec 1940 1/5 Sunset Field, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Three Master Minds Direct Air Force at Sunset Field 25 Dec 1940 6 Sunset Field, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Repairs Planned at Fort Wright 28 Dec 1940 3 Fort George Wright, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Newly Finished Ships will be Based at Felts Field 31 Dec 1940 3 Felts Field, WA N/A

Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Permanent Air Base Now Sure 13 Jan 1941 1 Sunset Field, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Air Corps Officer Arrives from East 17 Feb 1941 5 Spokane, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) General Curry Goes East this Week-End 19 Mar 1941 3 Bolling Field, DC N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) New Army Post will Bear Name of Famed Flier 19 Mar 1941 3 Sunset Field, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Sunset's Safety Zone Ratio Set 22 Mar 1941 3 Sunset Field, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Wives of Army Officers Discuss Newly Formed Club 27 Mar 1941 B2 Spokane, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) General Wash Bid to Army Day Rites 4 Apr 1941 3 Sunset Field, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Think General Curry may have News on Return 4 Apr 1941 3 Bolling Field, DC N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) California Weather Delays Air Chief 5 Apr 1941 3 Hamilton Field, CA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Public to View Army Air Bases 5 Apr 1941 3 Sunset Field, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Chief of Air Force to Address Chamber 24 Apr 1941 3 Spokane, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Major General Curry & Party Leave in Big Transport 24 Apr 1941 3 Felts Field, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) General Visits Camp 10 May 1941 5 Ephrata, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Major General Curry & Fort Wright Officers Inspect... 19 July 1941 3 Felts Field, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) Harmon Arrival Date Uncertain 21 July 1941 3 Spokane, WA N/A
Spokane Daily Chronicle (WA) He Will Be Remembered 21 July 1941 4 Spokane, WA N/A

The Bend Bulletin (OR) Officers in Air Force Shifted 19 July 1941 1 Bolling Field, DC N/A

The Deseret News (UT) Army Press Section to be Organized 15 Feb 1941 1 Hill Field, UT N/A
The Deseret News (UT) Removal of Pilots Requested 6 May 1941 1 Hill Field, UT N/A
The Deseret News (UT) Airmen Start 24-Hour Day 9 July 1941 2 Spokane, WA N/A

The Evening Independent (FL) Air Forces Get New Commanders 19 July 1941 1 Bolling Field, DC N/A
The Evening Independent (FL) New Commander Reviews Kessler Man 20 May 1944 3 Kessler Field, MS N/A

The Florence Times (AL) Nation-Wide Civil Air Patrol Being Organized 2 Jan 1942 2 Bolling Field, DC N/A

The Hartford Courant (CT) Air Patrol Appointments 4 Jan 1942 2 Bolling Field, DC Arthur C. Wimer
The Hartford Courant (CT) Air Patrol May Supply Ferry Pilots 4 Jan 1942 13 Bolling Field, DC N/A

The Miami Daily News (FL) Top Drawer Talent 3 Apr 1949 2B Arnheim, Germany Mary Marley

The Pittsburgh Press (PA) Pilots in State will Play Role in New Patrols 6 Jan 1942 9 La Guardia Field, NY N/A

The Schenectady Gazette (NY) Civilian Pilots May Guard U.S. 10 Jan 1942 11 Bolling Field, DC N/A

The Spokane Spokesman-Review (WA) Spokane Headquarters of Second Air Force 31 Jan 1943 8 Fort George Wright, WA N/A

The New York Times New Post for Gen. Curry 14 Nov 1940 14 Spokane, WA N/A
The New York Times Harmon Goes to Spokane 20 June 1941 21 Lowry Field, CO N/A
The New York Times Oust La Guardia, Kennedy Insists 3 Jan 1942 10 La Guardia Field, NY N/A
The New York Times Curry Asks Volunteers 4 Jan 1942 12 New York City, NY N/A
The New York Times Plans for Air Patrol are Discussed Here 5 Jan 1942 8 La Guardia Field, NY N/A
The New York Times Women Fliers Face Much Ground Work 5 Jan 1942 14 La Guardia Field, NY N/A
The New York Times Heads Civilian Air Patrol (Earle Johnson) 28 Mar 1942 5 Bolling Field, DC N/A

The Washington Post (DC) Army Orders 27 May 1914 4 West Point, NY N/A
The Washington Post (DC) Army Orders: Medical Reserve Corps 2 July 1915 4 Fort Slocum, NY N/A
The Washington Post (DC) New U.S. Aero Wrecked 14 June 1916 4 Columbus, Mexico N/A

James Shaw · March 08, 2010, 12:27:39 PM

I can't take credit for this. Captain O'Brien and Lt Col Mark Hess have been the driving force behind this. I have just been a supporter of the work. They have done a great job.

tdepp · March 08, 2010, 03:32:16 PM

Quote from: caphistorian on March 08, 2010, 12:27:39 PM
I can't take credit for this. Captain O'Brien and Lt Col Mark Hess have been the driving force behind this. I have just been a supporter of the work. They have done a great job.

Thank you and good job to all involved in this project!

Smithsonia · March 08, 2010, 04:39:28 PM

I both hope and trust that the Curry Project will be an inspiration to all those who treasure CAP History and our legacy. I know that Jack Curry has inspired me in the most fatherly of ways. Even though we never met, to see him up close and personal has been a great intellectual pleasure. To realize that while his life was much more history filled than mine will be... that he was a leader of integrity, knowledge, determination, polish, and savvy, and I would follow Jack Curry anywhere, even into a deeper appreciation of the Air Force and Patrol. I have, in my way, attempted to share this noble man's life and describe the artifacts I have discovered.

For 20 months I have filed regular reports on this Curry thread. Soon you will be able to see the basic research. Read the first hand accounts. Witness for yourself the material, pictures, militaria, reports, newspaper archives, uniforms, ephemera, and letters of Jack Curry. 95% of this collection will be available online. I'd make it 100% but some things don't scan well and other things are to be kept until the passing of Sheila Curry DeKalb.

Now, if you have similar material that is relevant to CAP history. Material that is locked in your closet, languishing in your basement, stuck in a box, or hidden from view... get ready to digitize it, scan it, photograph it, and get it online too.

If you have research materials... get ready to display it for all of us to revel in. Too long our instinct of preservation has turned us into to small time hoarders. Let us get ready to hoard no more.

I think you'll be happy to see the vast online exhibits. I think you'll be impressed with the work of Lt. Col. Mark Hess and Maj. Jim Shaw. I think you'll spend hours roaming around in a place that was built for you... our fellow CAP members. I think Cadets will enjoy it. I think Senior members will love it. And I think AEOs and Historians will cry at the wealth of material that's ready made for you to watch on your computer.

The work is done on this site. Security apparatus must be installed, checked, and locked down. Beta testing is ongoing right now. I think it will be ready in about 2 weeks, maybe 3. I'll let you know.

This History site will not be competitive with CAPtalk as it is a display site mostly. The history site is not designed for the same stimulating interaction of Captalk. It is for large exhibitions of Heritage, Legacy, and Historical properties. It is more contemplative but I hope not boring. Compared to Captalk the site should be more Library or History Museum and less City Hall.

History buffs get ready. Hoarders get your stuff out of the closet too. I trust this will be a new era in CAP history for all to see. I thank you for your interest. I thank Mark Hess and Jim Shaw especially. These are dedicated volunteers that deserve all of the praise. We've worked all night for months to make this happen. In fact neither Mark in Georgia nor I in Denver slept last night, not a wink, so for now off to sleep I go.

alamrcn · March 08, 2010, 06:15:34 PM

Once again, facinating!

Are you at a point to put together a two page article about the Curry Project for Volunteer? I think the jist of the "onion layers" you've been describing would intrigue many readers.

And a cadet or two might be able to give a more elaborate answer to the token encampment question... "Who is General John F Curry?"