WILLIAM LEWIS CURRY, born 12 September 1914 at Decatur, Alabama and was raised in Raleigh, N.C. He graduated from Needham Broughton High School in 1930 and from N.C. State College with a degree in aeronautical engineering in 1934. While in college he soloed in a Gypsy Moth and with another student built and flew a Model "A" Ford-powered airplane.

After college he worked for about a year with a utility company and then enlisted as a Flying Cadet and received his wings at Kelly Field in 1936. He was then assigned to Langley Field and the Eighth Pursuit Group, whc'rc~ he flew Curtis P-6E's and Pb-2A's.

In 1940 he was assigned to the recently activated 36th Pursuit Group and the 22nd Pursuit Squadron as a flight commander.

In January 1941 the group was transferred to Puerto Rico and equipped with P-40's and P-39's. As Group Operations Officer he instigated a dive bombing training program, even though it was still prohibited by regulations. This training program proved to be of great value to the group after Pearl Harbor, when they began flying anti-submarine missions and again later in Europe with the Ninth Air Force.

In 1942 he was assigned to the 32nd Fighter Sq. as C.O. and later that year assumed command of the Group

In May 1943 he returned to the states with the 36th Group and they were assigned to Charleston, S.C. and equipped with P-47's. After several months and several moves within the states, they were finally sent overseas and assigned to the Ninth Air Force and stationed at Kings North, U.K. near Dover, in March, 1944. Although he flew some escort missions and fighter 8weeps, most of his missions were dive bombing and strafing across France and into Germany.

On one 8trafing mission in the Falaise Pocket in August a 40 mm. shell peeled off about three feet of the leading edge of his right wing. Due to the resulting control problems he was unable to bailout, but was able to belly in at over 200 mph on a British strip near the beach.

He remained as C.O. of the 36th Gp. until January 1945 when he was transferred to the 29th TAC and then to the 65th Fighter Wing in the Eighth Air Force. After V.E. Day he was assigned to Tulln Air Base, near Vienna, Austria, where he spent the next sixteen months. When he returned to the states he was fortunate in being assigned to the Proof Test Group at Eglin, where he was able to fly a variety of the latest type aircraft.

His last tactical assignment was as C.O. of the 47 4th Tac Fighter Wing at Cannon AFB with F-100's. While there he was instrumental in developing the bent refueling probe which facilitated air-air refueling in the, F-100. He retired at Langley AFB in 1964 after 29 years and moved to Orlando, Florida where he bought an Aamco Transmissions franchise, which he still operates.

He has not lost his love for flying, and uses his Beech Bonanza in his business whenever possible. He is married to Harriett Hines, of Wilmington, N.C. whom he met while stationed in the Pentagon. In addition to his lovely wife, they have two lovely daughters who are married, but also live in Florida.