Jim Nolan's Blog

Lieut. John Curry's WW1 Footlocker Finds a New Home

My great-uncle's footlocker has arrived safely to First Division Museum in Cantigny Park in Wheaton, IL. I snapped this photo at the Fedex office in White Plains, NY. They were extremely helpful in helping me bring it inside from the car. John died at the Battle of Cantigny on May 28, 1918. This trunk was sent back to his mother, Sara Curry, who kept it at her house in Plains, PA. Decades later, the Corcoran family, who bought the house from Sara, found me. They had kept the footlocker safe all those years. I'm happy that John's footlocker is going to the museum where it can be seen by so many people.  

 

 

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. 

 

Remembering Robert and John

My mother's uncle, Robert Koenig, and my father's uncle, John Curry. Both were killed in action in WW1. Robert served in the German Navy. John, in the U.S. First Army, 28th Infantry. Lt. Curry's story is below.

 Listen to May 28, 1918

Plot A, Row 26, Grave 6

Sara Curry's son's headstone in the Somme American Cemetery in France. Lt. Curry was originally buried in the American Military Cemetery in Cantigny, then disinterred and reburied here near Bony. From Gold Star Mother's Pilgrimage of Remembrance by John W. Graham: "Each woman visited the grave over three or four successive days. The Army provided each woman a wreath of flowers, a photograph of the mother at the grave, and plenty of time alone. Cemetery visits were viewed as a time for private mourning and reflection, not for ceremonies and empty speeches."

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. 

100 Years Ago Today

Although his marker says he died on May 30, John Curry was killed in action 100 years ago today, Memorial Day, in the Battle of Cantigny. He is buried in the Somme American Cemetery in France. It is not difficult to understand how devastating this must have been for the family. His mother, Sara Curry (my father's mother's mother) visited the cemetery as part of the Gold Star Mothers Pilgrimage. My sons and I have visited as well. A century may have passed, but the sadness we feel over the loss of his life—and the lives of millions of others, including my mother's uncle Robert Koenig and Lieut. Michael Duddy, like John from Plains, PA—continues. We remember you, John, and Robert, and Lieut. Duddy. A century later, your examples of courage and sacrifice remain alive to us. 

Today in France: Centennial Ceremony at Somme American Cemetery

Screengrab from American Battle Monuments Commission website

The Somme American Cemetery near Bony, France, is where my great uncle, Lieut. John V. Curry, is buried. This year will mark the 100th anniversary of his death on May 28, 1918, as well as the Centennial of the first U.S. offensive of World War I, the Battle of Cantigny. I have visited the cemetery with my sons, and made a short essay about it here. My great grandmother, Sara Curry, wanted him to "rest where he fell." You can read her letter to the Army about that here. Sara visited her son's grave as part of the Gold Star Mother's Pilgrimage in 1930. You can hear her story here. 

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.