Fred L. E. McCurry Staff Sergeant Serial Number: 39 394 639
3214 Engineers Fire Fighting Company
Separation Point Camp Haan, California 6 October 1945

Battles and Campaigns :
Northern France GO 33 WD 45
Ardennes GO 33 WD 45
Rhineland GO 40 WD 45

Decorations :
1 overseas Service Bar 1 Service Stripe
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
Air Medal GO 297 HQ 2d Bombardment Div 44 with 3 oak leaf clusters
AAF Air Crew Member Badge 13 Dec 43
Sharpshooter Pistol 45 Cal 6 April 44

Attended 6 weeks Aerial Gunnery at AAFFGS Laredo, Texas

As written by Fred.
Harold , You asked me to tell you about my Army life, I went in Aug. 20th 1942 and got out Nov. 6th 1945.
I was in the 8th Air Force, I was the nose gunner and toglier on a B-24 Bomber, after we lost our Bombadier they put a toggle switch in the nose turret and I dropped the bombs.
I made 29 missions over Germany the winter of 1943 & 1944. We was shot up so bad twice we had to make two forced landings in Belgium and France. We was there where they made the movie, "The Memphis Bell" it was a movie about the B-17's. They was a little smaller than the B-24's. If you seen that show, you know what a gunners job was . When a bunch of us gunners came back to the States, they put us in a rest home for quite a while and then transferred us to the 314th Engineers & sent us to Fort Missoula, Montana to fight forest fires, then we got discharged.

Fred and Vergie moved from California to Arkansas in December 1962.
In 1964 they adopted Eudora Ann Cooper and re-named her Connie, she was 9 years old at the time, she gave them a lot of problems. Connie married while she was young to Jesse Carl Morris 12/25/1971 and had three children by him. Then Connie and Carl were divorced.
In 1978 we moved to Midland, Texas where Connie re-married to Gary Saunders and had a daughter by her second husband. Connie and her second husband divorced while living in Texas, so Fred and Vergie adopted Caroline and Rebecca in 1982, Gary Saunders adopted Jesse Carl Morris Jr.
Rebecca is divorced from her husband, she has two boys . Justin was 9 the 26th of October and Michael was 6 years old the 7th of October.
Fred made a mistake, Carolyns Brookie was born in Midland, Texas. Rebecca and her boys are back home with us.
Connie has growed up considerably, she tries to do things for us now.

Fred's Chiropractor broke 3 of his vertebrae in 1985

IN LOVING MEMORY
FRED L. McCURRY
Sept 1,1921 Dec. 15,2001

SERVICE : Welcome Home Church - 2:00 pm - Monday Dec. 17,2001
OFFICIATING : Roy Ragland Danny Griffith
INTERMENT : Chinquapin Cemetery - Marshall, Arkansas
PALLBEARERS : Mike Ragland - Brian Ragland - Gary Ragland - Dennis Ragland
James A. Ragland - Harold MilHolland
HONORARY PALLBEARERS : Macy Brown - Charles Ragland - Glen Perry - Larry George
J.N. Carr
Roller Coffman Funeral Home , Marshall, Arkansas

Fred L. McCurry , 80, departed from this life in his home surrounded by his family, on December 15,2001.
He was born on September 1,1921 in Vernon Colorado.
He was a skilled carpenter and cabinet maker. He was a member of the Welcome Home Church and loved the Lord and his family very much. he was known for his sense of humor, honesty and kind heart. Fred and Virgie were married on September 19, 1949 in Marysville, California. He was a devoted husband , father and grand father. He was loved by everyone who knew him.
He was preceeded in death by his parents Jim and Lura McCurry; three sisters, Goldie McCurry, Toots Balter, Mable Barnes; four brothers, Cecil, Oscar, Basil and Barney McCurry.
Survivors include his wife, Virgie McCurry; three daughters, Ann Perry of New Braunsful, Texas, Carolyn McCurry of Big Springs , Texas, Rebecca Ragland of Welcome home; two sisters, Fern Murfin of Missouri, and Geraldine Charge of Orland, California; seven grandchildren, Harold Millholl and of Alma, Arkansas; Jesse Saunders and Garilyn Henry of Midland, Texas; Justin and Mikey Hurst of Marshall, Arkansas, Andrew Ragland of Texas and Brooke Martin of Big Springs, Texas; five great grandchildren and nieces and nephews. he will be greatly missed by all. Funeral Services were December 17, 2001 at Welcome Home Church with Bro. Roy Ragland and Bro. Danny Griffith officiating. Burial was in Chinquapin cemetery by Roller Coffman Funeral Home.