James Duncan Currie – Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army

From a contemporary press report:

James Duncan Currie, 75, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, decorated infantry officer and veteran of World War II and the Korean and Vietnam conflicts, died of cancer November 6, 1999 at his home in Alexandria, Virginia.

Colonel Currie, a Pennsylvania native, served as an enlisted man in the Marine Corps in World War II, participating in the battles of Midway and Saipan.

In 1948, he enlisted in the Army. He was sent to Korea and entered combat in the early days of the Korean War, serving with the 2nd Infantry Division.

Within weeks of arriving in Korea, he had received two Silver Stars and a Bronze Star.

He later volunteered as an aerial observer and flew 73 missions. His Korean medals came to include four Purple Hearts, two Air Medals and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge. He also received a battlefield commission.

Colonel Currie later graduated from the Army Command and General Staff College, served a year in Vietnam as a senior adviser and taught counterinsurgency and guerrilla warfare to recruits at the Aberdeen Proving Ground.

In 1970, he retired from active military duty as a battalion commander with the 25th Infantry Division.

In 1971, he settled in the Washington area and joined what was then the Federal Protective Service.

He was assigned to the Defense Nuclear Agency until retiring altogether in 993.

Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Kathleen R. Currie of Alexandria; three children, James D. Currie Jr. of Woodbridge and Robert J. Currie and Kathleen C. Thomson of Alexandria; two brothers, David T. Currie of Clayton, N.C., and Paul E. Currie of Jacksonville, Fla.; a sister, Virginia Overly of Ocala, Fla.; and five grandchildren.

CURRIE, JAMES D., USA (Ret.)

On Saturday, November 6, 1999 at his home in Alexandria, VA, JAMES D. CURRIE, beloved husband of Kathleen R. Currie; loving father of James D. Currie Jr., Robert J. Currie and Kathleen C. Thomson; loving grandfather Laura K., Leslie P., James D. Currie III, Nicholas C. Currie and Chase M. Thomson. Funeral services will be held at Fort Myer Chapel on Thursday, November 18 at 1 p.m. Interment with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Northern Va., 6565 Arlington Blvd., Suite 500, Falls Church, VA 22042.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard