John F. Curry was born on April 22, 1886, in New York City, New York. He graduated from the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, with a Bachelor of Science degree, and was commissioned a second lieutenant of Infantry on February 14, 1908.
SERVICE
He joined the 5th Infantry in May 1908, and served with his regiment at Cardenas, Cuba, until February 1909. Upon his return to the United States, he was on duty at Plattsburgh Barracks, New York, until August 1910. He then was instructor of modern languages, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York, to June 1914, when he rejoined the 5th Infantry at Plattsburgh Barracks, New York.
He sailed for the Panama Canal Zone in November 1914, and served with the 5th Infantry at Empire, Canal Zone, until September 1915, when he returned to the United States. He then served with the Signal Corps, Aviation Section, at San Diego, California, to May 1916, when he joined the 1st Aero Squadron at Columbus, New Mexico, serving there and in Mexico with the Punitive Expedition until January 1917. He sailed for Hawaii in February 1917, and commanded the 6th Aero Squadron at Fort Kamehameha until July 1917. Upon his return to the United States he was assigned as assistant in charge of training in the Office of the Chief Signal Officer, Washington, D.C., to November 1917. He commanded the Aviation School, Ellington Field, Houston, Texas, to March 1918; served with the Division of Training at San Antonio, Texas, to April 1918; and then was assigned to the Division of Aeronautics, Office of the Chief of Staff, Washington, D.C.
He sailed for France in July 1918, and served as a student officer and on temporary duty in the Office, Chief of Training, Tours, France, to October 1918. He was Chief of Staff, Air Service, Second Army, Center of Artillery Studies in France, to June 1919; and then served at Base Section 5, American Expeditionary Forces, to July 1919. During the war he participated in the occupation of the Second Army Defensive Sector. He returned to the United States in August 1919, and was on duty in the Office, Division of Air Service, Washington, D.C., to January 1920, when he was ordered to Hawaii.
He was Air Officer, Hawaiian Department, Honolulu, to January 1923. Returning to the United States, he was on duty at McCook Field, Ohio, to June 1923. He graduated from the Air Service Engineering School, McCook Field, Ohio, in June 1924, and continued on duty at that post as Chief, Engineering Division, to October 1926, and as Chief, Administration Section, to July 1927. His next station was Wright Field, Ohio, where he remained for one month after which he was ordered to Langley Field, Virginia, where he graduated from the Air Corps Tactical School in July 1928. He graduated from the Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, in June 1930, and returned to Langley Field, Virginia, for duty as Assistant Commandant of the Air Corps Tactical School.
In August 1931, he was transferred to Maxwell Field, Alabama, where he served as Commandant, Air Corps Tactical School, and Commanding Officer of the Post until August 1935. He graduated from the Army War College, Washington, D.C., in June 1936, and was assigned to duty in the Office of the Chief of Staff, War Department, Washington, D.C. until March 1938. He then assumed command of Hamilton Field, California, and Base Headquarters, 5th Air Base Squadron, serving in that capacity until October 1940, when he was assigned to the 10th Pursuit Wing, General Headquarters Air Force, Hamilton Field.
In December 1940, he was assigned to command the Northwest Air District, Spokane, Washington. His command was redesignated the 2d Air Force in March 1941. He was made head of the Rocky Mountain Technical Command, Lowry Field, Colorado, in July 1941, before being named the first National Commander of the Civil Air Patrol, Washington, D.C., the following December. In March 1942, he assumed command of Headquarters, District No. 4 Technical Training Command, Denver, Colorado (subsequently redesignated the Western Technical Training Command). In July 1944, he went overseas and was assigned as President of the Air Force Evaluation Board, Headquarters Mediterranean Allied Air Forces. He returned to the United States in March 1945, and was assigned to Headquarters Army Air Forces, Washington, D.C.
He was retired in the grade of Major General on October 31, 1945.
He was rated a Command Pilot, Combat Observer, and Aircraft Observer.
PROMOTIONS
Cadet, U.S. Military Academy, June 16, 1904; Second Lieutenant, Infantry, February 8, 1908; First Lieutenant, June 6, 1914; Captain, Aviation Section, Signal Corps, May 16, 1916; Captain, March 22, 1917; Major, Aviation Section, Signal Corps, June 27, 1917, to June 30, 1920; Lieutenant Colonel, Signal Corps (temporary), October 23, 1917; Major (temporary), January 24, 1918, to May 9, 1919; Colonel, Air Service, U.S.A., May 10, 1919, to April 6, 1920; Major, July 1, 1920; transferred to Air Service on August 11, 1920; Lieutenant Colonel, February 1, 1932; Colonel (temporary), March 4 to June, 30, 1935; Colonel (temporary), December 23, 1936; Brigadier General, A.U.S., October 1, 1940; Major General, A.U.S., October 27, 1940; retired, disability in line of duty, with rank of Major General on October 31, 1945.
DECORATIONS
In November 1944, General Curry was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal with the following citation:
“As Commanding General, AAF Western Technical Training Command (formerly Fourth District, AAF Technical Training) from April 1942, to July 1944, he contributed in a material manner to the training mission of the AAF and to the total war effort in the development of the concept of mobile training units and to the establishment and perfection of this training technique, literally a “school on wheels.” The utilization of mobile training units expedited instruction on specialized equipment for line maintenance crews, aerial engineers and pilots by taking directly to the field that latest instructional material, instruction methods and training aids. This development has aided materially in an efficient and expeditious maintenance of material and also permitted transition of entire combat groups from one type of airplane to another in the field and under the urgency of a rapid conversion.”
Maj. Gen. Curry was also awarded the Legion of Merit, Army of Cuban Pacification Medal, Mexican Service Medal, World War I Victory Medal, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, and the French Ordre de l’Étoile Noire (Officer).