Monday September 26

Burial with full military honors will be held at Highland cemetery in Norwood, Massachusetts on Monday 9/26 at 10 am.

http://maps.yahoo.com/py/maps.py?Pyt=Typ&name=Highland+Cemetery&desc=(781)+762-1149&csz=Norwood+MA+02062&country=us&ed=UqiEvK160SwC_h_cYX9remZ8rA--

Reception to follow at the Norwood VFW Post at 11 am.

http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_result?name=Veterans+of+Foreign+Wars&desc=%28781%29+762-6910&csz=Norwood+MA+02062&qty=9&cs=10&ds=n&ed=siOudK160Sy8GIw7DUCgsYCcBuInfA1A8l9r5jvJ2oZHGGpS97HSREs0E.zqRQMzcLU-&fr=zerorp-local-srchweb

Semper Fi Brother
All above have said it all. U was many times in different sqd with george as was an Outstanding Marine.

Rest In peace Brother ,May God"s Grace Shine On You. SF

Submitter:
Donna L. Goguen

Message:
I tried to post something, but since I'm not a Marine I can't. But I am retired US ARMY. So I will at least get to tell all of you. I am sorry for the loss of George T. Curtis. He was a wonderful friend, a good husband and father and a damn good Marine. I spoke with his wife Sharon tonight, and she told me to go to www.popasmoke.com and I did. It was so nice to see all the wonderful words you all had to say about George. You see I used to work for George back in the early to mid seventies. He was a recruiter in Norwood. And I'd make calls, send out info to all the High School grads, and set up his appts. That's how we met. I've even been to the Marine Corps Birthday Ball with Sharon and George. In fact, I lived with Sharon and George for awhile. I needed a place to stay and they were there for me. I remember when George Jr. was born. I can picture George walking into the office and tossing his hat on the table and him saying what've you got for me today. Since I heard of his death from my Mom, I've been remembering so many things about George. He touched so many lives and was loved by many. I know he is watching over us all. God Rest his soul. God Bless all of you also. Keep up the good work here. From what I can see this is an awesome site.
SF.
Donna L. Goguen
Retired USA.

George Curtis

Semper Fi, George! We "grunts" always appreciated a ride in a bird. Now the big bird in the sky is taking you to meet with all the brothers who have gone before you. You gave of yourself in Vietnam and continued to do so by helping others on this website. You are missed.

George Curtis

I crewed with him a few times in Nam and he made a helluva impression on me. Me, being about 6'2" and over 200lbs, thought of him as a kid, at first, because he was smaller and seemed young. I was 21 but he couldn't have been much younger. His stature grew in my mind after a few missions, We had a call for an emergency medevac. We had no corpsman. But we went in and picked up a wounded Marine. They handed him to us in a poncho along with an 'IV'. As we lifted off and turned towards base, George was down on the floor putting the 'IV' into this poor guy. I thought ‘wow’; this guy is 'something else'. I hope the Marine made it and I wish George had.

Curt's Memorial Service

I attended George Curtis' Memorial service Monday and be;pw are a few of the pictures I took.

1. The two sergeants who folded the flag over Georges grave.
2. Flag presented to Mrs Sharon Curtis, Widow of George Curtis, by Sergeant Major Eric Loya.
3. George Curtis Jr. with his mother.
4. Grave site.
5. Popasmoke members in attendance.

Semper Fi

1. Curtis family.
2. Spreading the Flag.
3. Folding the Flag.
4. Presenting the Fag.
5. Sgt Mjr ERIC LOYA receives the flag.

He was ours too!

You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone....

I had known George Curtis for a long, time. He married Sharon with whom I went to school from k-12. He came to Norwood in time, I believe, to recruit at least one of my siblings into the Corps, (four brothers and two sisters served), but he didn't get me. My parent were both marines. George was a special friend to my family. Though he never knew my brother Richard who was KIA 6/15/68 while with Mike Co. 3/4 Third Mar. Div., he was the driving force behind a rededication of his park 30 years later. In this, he proved to be "Always Faithful." He stressed upon me how it would take effort to keep alive the memories of our fallen.

The ceremony at Highland Cemetery was a fitting tribute to George and his family. He had stood in the same cemetery for my family's funerals. I was honored to attend and salute him for his service.

I extend additional condolences to all of his friends in Popa Smoke. I have visited your page before and it was suggested I look at the tributes posted here for George. As I have recently been in touch with over a dozen of my brother's comrades and met many of them at their battalion reunion this summer, I have witnessed what you Marines mean to each other. Knowing that and knowing George I know you're hurting. He was in good company with you and is in good company now.

Semper Fi,

Brian Murphy
Lieutenant,
Norwood Police
Norwood, MA
bmurphy@ci.norwood.ma.us

MGySgt G. T. Curtis

John,

Thanks for posting the pictures of Curt's memorial service for those of us that were unable to attend.

His passing has left a trememdous void in his family, our association and all of those whose lives he touched. Without a doubt, he's probably pulling a pre-flight on God's helicopter at this very moment.

Hand Salute

Semper Fi

Tom

Semper Fi George

I did have the pleasure of knowing George while serving with HMM-363. We were together in Viet Nam in 1968. We flew together several times, during that time we always found time to talk and learn from each other. When I saw George at the reunion it felt really good to talk of times we shared. I believe must people may never understand the bound Marines share. But those that got to meet George had some idea of the character, the loyalty and the spirit most Marines are blessed with. I pray that God grant George his peace as he enters that last flight from which no crew member returns.

Semper Fi

Ollie

HMM 363/Lucky Red Lions

MGSgt Curtis

SEMPER FI MARINE!

I never met George, but I knew of him as a
driviing force for Pop-a-Smoke!
May God be with his family and friends at this
time.
He was a brother!

SEMPER FI!

"Two Friends" George Curtis

George posted a picture of us together at his hootch on the website. In the commentary he said, "two friends enjoying each other's company". I guess that was a typical day with George. I never called him Curt although so many did. Words are not needed for those who knew him and would be inadequate, anyway. I will say this. George was a decent, good man who always made everyone feel special and always made any event, no matter how small, seem like the most important thing in the world. I know he is in heaven getting something organized and that one day we will sit down with him to tell those wonderful stories one more time. Semper Fi, George. No one ever had a better brother. My sympathy to his family and my gratitude for sharing him with all of us.

skidkid's forever George!

No words I can write here can come close to really describing George. He was my mentor and my friend. We use to carpool together to SoWeymouth from Otis ANGB everyday for three years. He was always there for his Marines.
There is a good article on the kind of person George was in the June 1966 issue of Leaterneck Magazine. He never quit! Godspeed george!
Semper Fi

Bruce Wise
Msgt USMC Ret.
Mag 49 and HML 771

Fly High George

I had the pleasure of serving (albiet briefly) with George at NAS So. Weymouth in the early 80's. What a guy! True professional and example for all we young crew cheifs back then and he continues to lead, even in his passing. He taught us to be proud, professional, and dedicated. Band of brothers was not a saying to George, but a way of life. Gee, I don't need to tell any of you that!

God bless his family and may George keep soaring with the eagles!

Matt (Wilbur) Whitacre
MGuns Ret.

To the family,
First of all let me say how much this saddens me to learn of the passing. Please accept my condolences to the entire family, friends, and fellow Marines. My relationship started with George T. Curtis when I transferred to South Weymouth in 1979. Soon after that I realized what a great friend George was and how well respected throughout the Corps he was. If George needed something he got it and as you well know in the Corps that is rare. One of the first times he introduced me to his family was during Christmas. It was nothing for George to take on something which brought so much joy to all. That was when I saw his father-in-law, Russ (a great American), dressed as Santa Claus entertaining each and every child. It's no news to anyone which knew George that he did things his way!!! I am still in the Marine Corps after 28.5 years because of Marines like George and I love every minute of that experience. I am just about to depart on yet another deployment, Iraq, as the I MEF Forward SgtMaj. George taught me valuable survival skills which I will never forget..
God Bless the Curtis Family!

SgtMaj Tom Howard
AKA "Scooter"

Godd luck to you SgtMaj Howard.
May God be with you and your Marines in Iraq!

Semper Fi

GTC and me

Well, this has taken me a while, but here goes the story. GTC will edit this but you will all get the gist of it.
I got a note from a brother that had lost all of his photos over the 35 years that we have spent being just folks. He asked me if I could find some pic's to show his grandkid's. GTC and I were at Marble back then so, I called him about this. He took it on, like he did everything else and sent me a disc with over 100 pic's from that time. I sent it on to our brother.
If it ment something deep, GTC knew it, and came through. I made it a point to say hi to Geo. at P'Cola and he and his wife at Reno. He was a friend, a brother, and a Marine that makes me proud to have been a Marine.
See you all in FW, I for one will be thinking of George.
Roy/ARM

It greatly saddens me to learn today of George's passing. I am way out of the loop, but my relation with George also comes from S. Weymouth in 1979.
Please accept my condolences and god speed to all his family
George was a MARINE amongst Marines and his traits bared heavily in my career

A year has passed

George. . . we remember always. .with love, respect and appreciation for all that you brought to us.

Semper Fi,

Jan

It's hard to believe it has been a year now, but thanks to everyone for remembering my father. He was extremely proud to be involved with this website and the great work everyone is doing here, and the members have been extremely supportive to myself and my family and helped us get through a very tough time.

Semper Fi

George Curtis Jr.

George: Still in our hearts and minds, this is an anniversary that saddens me deeply. I go by the Post nearly everyday and think of you each time. The loss is still strong but in my heart I pray you are in peace. Guide us all and continue to be the leader you always were. Peace Marine, Dick

God's speed Master Guns !!

If I could preface this by saying there is no way I could ever put into words all that Master Gunnery Sergeant George Curtis was to me, my fellow Marines, or to the world in general.

I had the honor and privilege of serving with "George" at South Weymouth from 1989 until his retirement in 1991, and up until a few days ago I had lost contact with him when I found his profile on a Marine site together we served.
It broke my heart to learn of his passing.

As a young Staff Sergeant coming off a three year tour as a recruiter the first thing he did in office when he welcomed me was introduce himself as “George”. He didn’t care that I was a fixed wing Avionics puke (lol). I was completely caught off guard on that one, here was a Master Gunnery Sergeant with well over twenty years of service welcoming me to the unit as a friend first and a Marine second. Don’t misunderstand that he wasn’t a Marines Marine, if you messed up he would certainly give you an ear full, but the point is what made him such a good leader was a genuine concern for the Marines he lead. The best advice he ever gave me was to “always take care of the guys YOU work FOR” to this day I still lead that way.

Living on Cape Cod, I was invited to the “car pool” with George, Mike Crivier (sp), and Art Burns and the lessons I learned on those trips I still use today. Besides the Nam stories (lol), and Harley discussions, he would quiz us on different scenarios about leadership with things that you really had to think about. To this day it was the best leadership development I have ever had just four guys in a car discussing stuff.

Although I mourn his passing, I will not dwell on that, because he lives on through me and countless others he taught. As a Marine I use to wonder what it would be like to have meant Chesty Puller, looking back, I now know he would have been just like Master Gunnery Sergeant George Curtis.

Semper Fi
SSGT Rick Cassel
1977-1993

Remembering again!!

As I prepare for our 1st 363 reunion in PCola I again remember my friend George on the cusp of this 2nd anniversary of his death. I know we would have made great plans to attend together, now I'll meet with our squadron mates and remember the times we had. They say time heals all wounds and I really believe it but sometimes there's a void you just never seem to be able to fill. George, please guide us all and provide us with the direction to complete our goals. Semper Fi Marine and thanks!! Budster

Re: Remembering again!!

Well said Budster, I think you said exactly what a lot of us are thinking. I miss his friendship and his counsel.