Jim Nolan's Blog

From The Evening News, September 10, 1918

Sent to me by Matt Conrad. The piece remembers the heroism of his relative, Lieut. Michael J. Duddy, who was killed in WWI in France. The article also mentions my great uncle, Lieut. John V. Curry. John was also killed in France. They were both from Plains, PA. Click to enlarge.

Boarding Passes to Mars for WWI Heroes

Two images sent to me by my friend Matt Conrad. Matt had these boarding passes made at a NASA site to honor his relative Lieut. Michael J. Duddy and my great-uncle Lieut. John V. Curry. Both were from Plains, PA and killed in action in World War I. Matt writes: "Every few years NASA does a thing where you can put your name or a family member name up into space." So he put both soldiers' names on them. You can read about the program here and add the name of your own hero, if you like, until September 30. Thanks for sending, and for remembering, Matt. 

 

Fismes, France Remembers Le Lieutenant Duddy

Bob Corcoran of Plains, PA is a retired educator and has contributed so much to my understanding of my great uncle, Lieut. John V. Curry. His son Bob recently traveled to France where he met the editor of the magazine "L'Echauguette de Fismes." I believe "l'echauguette" means watchtower. Lieutenant Michael J. Duddy of Plains was killed in action in Fismes on August 12, 1918. You can read about the Battle of Fismes and Fismette here. Ninety percent of Fismes was destroyed. Two thousand American lives were lost in the first two days. The editor was aware of Lieut. Duddy, and Bob returned with the May, 2018 issue. Scans of the cover and p. 16 appear above. Note the photo of the restored Hugo Walsh portraits of Duddy and Curry that hang in the Plains American Legion Hall, a project spearheaded by Bob and Bob. My French is bad, but the article seems to say that Lieut. Duddy's body was brought back to Plains in 1921. Thanks to Bob and Bob for sending this to me, to Mireille Robbe for writing the article, and to the people of Fismes for remembering Lieut. Duddy's sacrifice. 

American Association for Recognition of the Irish Republic, Curry-Duddy Branch

An article from (I think) The Wilkes-Barre Record from Saturday, May 14, 1921, sent to me by Matt Conrad. Matt is a descendant of Lieut. Duddy; Lieut. Curry is my great uncle. The Irish War of Independence would end on July 11, 1921, but it would not bring peace. 

 

"Two Die in Battles; One Wounded"

Click to enlarge.

An article from a Scranton, PA newspaper (I believe The Scranton Republican) sent to me by Matt Conrad, a descendent of Lieut. Michael J. Duddy, who appears at the left in the photo. Lieut. Charles O'Brien, to the right, was also killed in action. Lieut. James Reap, in the middle, survived the war. But, as the article notes: "Reap himself was desperately wounded in the heroic struggle, suffering from a combination of seven wounds and three gassings, the last from mustard phosgene when it was first introduced by the Germans as a deadly element that could not be detected and took effect only after forty-eight hours from the time of inhalation." Thanks for finding and sending this, Matt. What a reminder of the brutality of the war and the cost paid by 116,516 soldiers, their families, and communities. And that's just in the United States. Germany had over 2 million military deaths; France, nearly 1.4 million; Russia, 1,811,000 dead; the United Kingdom, 885,138; Italy, 651,000; Austria-Hungary, 1,100,000, the Ottoman Empire, 771,844, which was 13.72% of its total population. This is by no means a complete list of countries or deaths... Canada, 64,944, Australia, 61,929, India, 74,187, and on and on and on. Lots of newspaper articles like this one.

Liberty Bonds Ad, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

Sent to me by Matt Conrad, a relative of Lieut. Michael J. Curry, who is featured at the far left of the top row.  The ad must have run in 1918 between Lieut. Duddy's death in August, and the War's end in November. According to Wikipedia, Liberty Bonds were not successful with the general public: "the bond campaigns are remembered more for their associated level of coercion and bullying than its patriotic and voluntary nature." As always, thanks for sharing this, Matt.

Before They Went "Over There"

An article from 1918 sent to me by Matt Conrad, that describes a banquet in Lieut. Michael J. Duddy's honor for "winning an Army commission at Camp Niagara." It is attended by my great uncle, Lieut. John V. Curry. Both would be killed in action that year. 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of their deaths. I like being able to post these old news clippings, because in time those interested in the subject will find them through a simple Google search. Thanks for sending, Matt. 

Curry-Duddy Literary and Debating Society, 1926

This was sent to me by my friend Matt Conrad, a relative of Lieut. Michael J. Duddy, who was killed in action in World War I in France on August 12, 1918. My great uncle, Lieut. John V. Curry, was killed in action a few months earlier, on May 28. Both were raised in Plains, Pennsylvania, educators, and went to training camp at Ft. Niagara, New York. Both were killed by snipers. Thanks for sending this, Matt. 

The Evening News, Wilkes-Barre, PA., Friday, June 15, 1923

Sent to me by Matthew Conrad, a newspaper page announcing that:

"Portraits of Lieut. John Curry and Lieut. Michael Duddy, both of whom made the supreme sacrifices during the World War, will be presented to Plains high school tonight at the commencement exercises to be held in Irem Temple." 

Here is the larger page it's found on, again, thanks to Matthew:

You can catch up on the story of the paintings of Lieut. Curry and Lieut. Duddy here. 

I sent Matt's find to Plains, PA expert Bob Corcoran (who with the help of his son Bobby rediscovered the paintings) and here's what Bob wrote back:

"Thank you for the note which has become a challenge. The Irem Temple is a beautiful building in downtown Wilkes-Barre, a few streets down from King's College. The Shriners constructed the building in 1906 and it has been acclaimed as one of the nation's most significant examples of Moorish Revival Architecture. But for nearly a decade, the building has been vacant. Presently, the building is owned by the Greater Chamber of Commerce of Wilkes-Barre who is seeking plans for restoration. For over a hundred years the Temple was the cultural center for the Wilkes-Barre area.

"When I graduated from King's College in 1961, Kings held the graduation program at the Temple. Really a beautiful place. 

"I cannot image Plains have a graduation ceremony in a place as large as the Temple, unbelievable!"

Thanks Matt and Bob for all the info!

Lieut. Michael Duddy from Plains, PA

Sent to me by Matt Conrad. Matt writes that he re-added the color to the photo, and made it accurate to what it would have actually been. Matt also writes that the hat was called a "Garrison Cap." You can read more about WW1 uniforms here. Like my great uncle John Curry, Michael Duddy was from Plains, PA. And like my great uncle, he was killed in action by a sniper. Their portraits hang side by side at the American Legion Hall there, thanks to the awesome efforts of Bob and Bobby Corcoran.