It is two years now since George died and I agree with Budster, there are some people one never forgets and the hole they leave in your life never fills, it just changes shape. George was such a person and I miss him constantly. and I suspect I always will. And you know what, if a feeling of sadness the rest of my life is the price for having known George, it is well worth it. If I could I'd trade almost anything I have (except my two daughters) for more time with him.

It is a rare day that I don't think of him, not in any maudlin way but just seeing something or someone that reminds me of him or I hear of something he did. For instance when my daughter, who works at Lincoln Labs at Hanscome AFB and now has a Top Secret clearance, was being cleared for Secret, she was in a special category because I was born in England. She was interrogated about me and my background. She told them: Secret clearance, worked for Boeing, served with USMC and the US Navy, etc.

"Anybody from the military, who knew him", they asked.

She mentioned Genarals, Admirals, Colonels, all of whom they wrote down.

"Does he know any NCOs", they asked.

"Is Master Gunnery Sergeant an NCO", she asked, all innocent like. Boy, did they perk up.

"He certainly is", they replied. Name please, address, phone number, etc".

"Why so interested", she asks.

They laughed. "It's easy for a Brit to bullshit Generals and Admirals, they all fall in love with the accent. But nobody, but nobody bullshits a senior NCO of the Marine Corps for long. "He isn't impressed by accents", just can he do the job and can he be trusted."?

They later told her that George gave me the OK and when asked "Would you trust this man?" he replied, "With my life." They told her they were impressed. Master Gunnery Sergeants are not known for handing out casual praise.

That, from Master Gunnery Sergeant George E. Curtis, USMC has to be the greatest compliment a man could receive and I certainly think of it that way. He said that he thought of me as another Marine, although I do not have that honor. I was stunned when I heard that.-

She got her clearance and now she can't talk to me about anything she is working on. Just as well, since I can't understand it anyway, a fact she finds hard to believe. "But Dad, Quantum Mechanics is easy." Sure it is, especially for an MIT Masters grad.

She recently told me that she was working as a bad guy, trying to beat our fire control radar and when she does, she has to help dreaming up a solution. She says it's very satisfying. She knows she has saved some lives, her operational contacts have told her of a couple of times her solutions worked.

"Does that mean the other guys were killed". I asked.

"Probably", she said. "I don't really know and I don't really care. The threat ceased to be a threat to my guy. That's all I care about. If the other guy get's killed well that's too bad. If he can't take a joke he shouldn't have joined. (she got that expression from me.) She's a chip off the old block I would say.

Tongue in cheek, I asked her she felt about the guys on the other side. Wasn 't she a bit sorry for them, all this power arraigned against them. She looked at me as if I was totally of off the wall.

"What are you talking about", She asked. "Sorry for him, are you crazy. I want to get him and save my guy. If the other guy wants to live then find an other line of work. Then I'll leave him alone. Until then I'm out to get him and I will.

Then she started to laugh, "You're just rattling my cage aren't you. It was you who tiold me,

"Get there firstsest with the mostest "

"Your opponant should be dead before he even knew he was in a fight"

"Get him down, keep him down and don't ever let him get up"/

"Don't fight fair. Win, that makes it fair."

I have those mottos hung up in my ofiice, attributed to "The Gospel According to Dad" Apparently she said, so many times in her first year there "According to my dad..." or "My Dad says..." that they had a joke which said "The Gosel according to DAD."

A great perk for me is if she dates a guy more than a couple of times, she has to report it to the security people who then check him out. How about that, all you fathers of nubile daughters out there. Isn't that a great use for your tax dollars. I think so. She's on flight status, qualified first time she tried, including all the de-compression crap. They have 5 jets to play with. It was her birthday last week and for her present, she wants my leather flight jacket, 39 years old and suitably 'weathered', which she says will impress the test pilots and drive the other guys razy. I wouldn't let her mother have it or even wear it but daughters are different, anyway I'm too old to wear it. A lot of the guys in her group don't like to fly and she loves it. She takes as many of their flights as she can get. Her boss told me when he interviewed her, her resume was lready impressive but when she said, "I like to fly", he thought he'd died and gone to heaven.
'm coming to Boston this Friday Sept 14. I just may be able to get a person or two in to see Lincoln Labs and if not, maybe we could meet Saturday evening for a drink. Call me on my cell. 610 731 1168., if anyone is interested.

John Dullighan

Unit will live on!

John Dulligan said:

It was her birthday last week and for her present, she wants my leather flight jacket, 39 years old and suitably 'weathered', which she says will impress the test pilots and drive the other guys crazy.

John,
Not to "hijack" the thread on George, but he'd be proud too....That's wonderful! HMM-165 will have a prominent place in the future, regardless of what may happen to us "helo types"! I feel certain that the HMM-165 patch is still proudly displyed on the front of the jacket as is the one from "Boeing Vertol"!! Need to post a pic of her wearing it if you are allowed to. Proud Papa!

George

I hope my post is appropriate. I wanted to tell how George would help people and how much respect he was given by even the 'starchy' folks in security. They have no sense of humor. My daughter knew how much repect I had for George but she was astonished by the reaction of the security people and the respect they hsd for George.

A big void

I only knew him from the board, but always read his posts and was happy he didn't ban me! He provided answers and info politely, even if he disagreed.

Wish I had the privilege of knowing him personally and condolences to his family, he left some big shoe prints.

Words from The Bard, ( overlook the characters' titles, or don't, whatever suits you );
St. Crispen's Day Speech
William Shakespeare, 1599

Enter the KING

WESTMORELAND. O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!

KING. What's he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin;
If we are mark'd to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England.
God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call'd the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.'
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.'
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

In memory - 2 years

George .. . you are as always, in our thoughts and prayers . ..

I miss you Curt!

Curtis Family Photos:
http://public.fotki.com/gtcurtis/curtis_family_pics/george_t_curtis/

I met MGySgt Curtis when I was stationed at NAS So Weymouth in the late 80's. At first glance you couldn't help but be impressed by the way he carried himself and the automatic respect he seemed to get from everyone.
I recall a CAX at 29 Palms where Master Gunny had all the SNCO's in one of those A-Frames each evening for some PME discussions. I learned a whole lot and referred back to some of the things I learned from him over the rest of my career.
He would always bring his Service 'C' uniform even to the field in the off chance he would have to rescue one of his Marines from PMO or the local authorities. On one occasion in Yuma one of our Marines got a DUI on Base, the next morning I saw Master Gunny in his Charlies with all his ribbons heading to the Base CO's office. Next thing you know our Marine was back and all was forgotten.
He will always be a fond memory and the kind of Marine that we can all say we were proud and fortunate enough to serve with.

Semper Fi "GT" until we meet again.

Thom R Clark
MSgt USMC (Ret)
1981-2004

Semperfi

George was my hootchmate in 1969 with HML-367. I never had a chance to see him after Nam but I knew who he was and respected all his work for Popasmoke. He and I were E-5 Sgts. at the time in Phu Bai and we tipped a few together between getting shot at. For those who remember we built a mini club between 2 hootches and had some great parties.

George Curtis

It is coming up to 3 years since we lost George. I was thinking about what I might do to preserve his memory and it occured to me that a booklet, summarising his life, career and accomplishments would be something I would like to see. The more I thought about it the better I liked the idea and who better to do it than I.

I deeply respected George. He was the quintessential Marine. who held himself to the highest standards and gave you no excuse not to do the same. He led by example and if you performed at less than what he expected from you , you would hear about it. Telling him that it was 35 years since I did that job and I wasn't Marine,remember, cut no ice. "If you don't remember you know where to get the answers, don't you"? he would ask. "Then do it." As for not being a Marine, I accepted the friendship, so I must accept the duty.

I knew him reasonably well and we corresponded a lot. He always said he held me to a higher standard than most because Boeng and the Marine Corps had laid out good bucks to give me the education that I had and he insisted that I use it. If questions came up that should be answered, remember that there were Marines out there still flying the airplane. And I'd better be right or else. I used to tell him that all that Boeing and the USMC had paid out to educate me brought me to the level of a good experienced crew chief.

"I'll be the judge of that". he said.

I'm a reasonable writer and I have the time. I'm not a Marine as most of you know but I have been described as being as close as yiou can get without actually being one. The Marine Corps motto and ethos have always appealed to me and I accept them as my own. Combined with a Jesuit education I have the confidence that I will be writing about a person whose character and makeup I understand and believe I can do justice to.

WELL GUYS, WHAT ABOUT IT? AM I THE GUY TO WRITE ABOUT GEORGE? IF SO, CAN I GET YOUR HELP????

Anything you can think of will be great. Stories about him as a young crew chief. Such as the tale of being made to sit down by his squadron commander and write his mother, at the request of Senator Kennedy's office. (most of us can relate to that) and if it isn't true it should be. How did he get promoted. What was he like to fly with. How was he to work for. Anything that will shed light on him. I want to feel that anyone who knew him will be able to say when they resd it. "Yes that's George", and those who didn't know him personally will get a true picture. I want to immortalise him; we forget so soon and so completely.

His family must agree of course. I would never do anything without their wholehearted approval and if possible, co-operation. They would have absolute veto over anything published, from a single item up to the whole publication. Since I would not claim that this was history I would not be obliged to include anything, I, the family or any other person with reasonable standing did not want published. I hope that the way I was able to handle the local press at Georges funeral would re-assure them that Master Gunnery Sergeant George Curtis is a hero of mine and anything that I was involved with would serve to enhance his reputation.

Much has been written and told about him. Even those tales that may be stretching the truth deserve to be recorded for what they say about George. And, as I was told by my editor when I went to work as a photographer and sometime newspaper reporter. "Never let the facts get in the way of a good story". It is often the apocryphal stories that are closest to the truth". I said in one of my posts that I thought of him ofen and I still do.

And George always reminded me of my own Father who when I was home on leave from Vietnam, introduced me to one of his friends thus "This is my son. He is doing what I dreamed of doing when I was his age". If how often I think of my father is any indication, I will be thinking of George for the rest of my life. George thought constantly of his men and of the young officers whom George believed he needed to teach how to be officers.

My Father lost his father in WW1, when he was 8 years old. He lost all his Uncles on both sides of his family. By the end of WW2, my grandmother had lost every male that she knew of her generation, her brothers, her huband and all her husband's brothers as well as all her friends and aquaintances. Their names are all inscribed on the memorial wall, at Tower Hill, London, comemmorating those of the British Merchant Marine who were lost at sea and who had no known grave.

As a result my father left school early at 14 to help support his family. No GI Bill in those days. My grandmother did receive an elegant large medal, which
I still have and a letter from King Geoge V. Nice but it didn't put food on the table. My father found a job as a technician but received very little formal education. I remember him reading a lot though.

I own a Military Clothing and Equipment store in Concord, NC. A real close friend of mine Herbert J. Lemon III recently passed away from Liver Cancer, he was 39. Herb was a prior enlisted Marine who made Sergeant in the USMCR, upon graduation he received his Commission and became a Naval Aviator. He flew CH-46's from east coast Squadrons exclusively. He flew Combat missions in Somalia/Haiti with the 24th MEU (SOC). He got out a Captain and was hired by the US Secret Service where he served as an Agent in the Charlotte, NC Field Office. The attachment is a uniform I put together in Honor of him, his service and friendship.

I want to put together a MGySgt CURTIS Service Alpha jacket. I recall he had 19 ribbons in 1991. Can anyone furnish me an accurate list of all his awards? Or a photo of him in his uniform and I can figure it out from there. I might be able to go from memory but being I'm a Marine I'd like to get it right. Any help would be appreciated.

OohRah!

Top Clark,
Great tribute to your friend! I'm certain one of Curtis' friends will provide the info that you need for a similar memorial, or you can look in here for various pictures of him, some in dress blues with ribbons.

Still missing our friend

George: It's 3 years today and the void is still there. Once again we missed you in Washington and I know you would have loved that reunion. The museum is fantastic as I'm sure you've seen from your place on high. It's just not the same without your comments and factoids you were so good with. Just a brief note to say you may be gone but certainly not forgotten. Keep a tight rein on us all and guide us with that platoon in the sky. Semper Fi Marine and may your Peace be eternal, Budster:(:(

Amen Budster

I miss Curt a lot. He was like a big brother.

Joe Reed;21861 wrote: Top Clark,
Great tribute to your friend! I'm certain one of Curtis' friends will provide the info that you need for a similar memorial, or you can look in here for various pictures of him, some in dress blues with ribbons.

One photo in Alphas is here, but not sure it will be that much help:
https://www.popasmoke.com/visions/image.php?source=217

It's wonderful to see how many people remember and miss my father, even three years later. I really do appreciate all the great stories and comments.

John, it's touching that you would be interested in writing something about my father. I have often thought about doing it myself but feared I wouldn't do it justice. I will discuss it with my mother and get back to you.

As far as the ribbons go, here's a photo of my father's ribbons. Hope it helps.

I also know Brook and maybe some others have been looking for some photos my father may have been working on before he died. I will be digging through both the attic and the basement while we switch over our summer and winter clothes and will check in the many rubbermaid containers full of his things.

If anyone has any other questions, comments, stories etc please feel free to email me anytime- george.curtis@gmail.com

Remembering

George, Jr., three years - but it seems like yesterday. The Campbell Clan motto is "Ne Obliviscaris" - Do not be oblivious of - or better put - Do Not Forget. I dare to say, anyone who knew your dad will never forget him.

The best to you -

Jan

:(Once again I prepare for our HMM 363 Reunion in Pensacola and how ironic it starts on the 4th anniversary of George's death. I still miss the guy and although I only knew him a short time it just shows what an impression this fellow squadron mate made on me! What I wouldn't give to still have him around giving his stats, knowledge of the Corps and as an all around information station. I miss you buddy and wish you nothing but peace and joy in your heavenly unit! God Bless:(

Five years

This morning, I am thinking of all the things that still remind me of George.. . .a motorcycle (with a rider with no helmet), the sound of a chopper. .. .an article in the newspaper . .and mostly, sitting in an airport, waiting for a flight. That was the last time I saw George, in the Reno airport, leaving a reunion to go home. Sitting at a table near a window, he called me over to see the choppers which had been on display at the reunion, leaving Reno, as we were. I'll never forget the look in his eyes, as he watched the young crews take them up.

George - we miss you . .and we remember what you taught us, ---- honor, respect, dignity, patience, and most of all . .. .to be always faithful.

Missing Curt

I'm missing my good friend Curt today and thinking of him five years after he lefts us. He made a difference. Semper Fi Master Guns!

Re: MGySgt George T. Curtis

Feeling guilty as I thought of my buddy George today but it's some 2+ weeks after the anniversary of his assent to Ooh Rah heaven. Sorry buddy, the older you get the more the mind wanders and things slip away. Thinking of you and praying you're keeping an eye on all of us. Special prayers to "Pops" cause he ain't ready to go yet!! Semper Fi MGYSGT, you are a special guy!!