William D. Curry

Brigadier General William D. Curry Jr (born May 15, 1926) is a retired United States Air Force officer. He currently lives in Virginia.

General Curry was born in Minneapolis in 1926. He entered the United States Army Air Forces from Marshalltown, Iowa, during World War II and served as a B-24 Liberator crew chief until entering the United States Military Academy. Upon graduation in 1950, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant.

He began his career during the Korean War flying in a combat tour in F-51 Mustangs. The years following Korea were spent as a fighter pilot and in various operational assignments while serving with Tactical Air Command units until 1958. From 1959 to 1966, he served in the Strategic Air Command as a B-47 Stratojet aircraft commander and operations staff officer.

In 1966 General Curry returned to the fighter business and joined the 366th Tactical Fighter Wing at Da Nang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam, in 1968. While there he flew a combat tour as an F-4 Phantom II squadron commander. A second Southeast Asia combat tour was completed in 1973. During this tour he served as commander of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, which was deployed to Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, flying the A-7D Corsair II.

Other assignments include a tour as deputy chief, Joint Chiefs of Staff Matters, Global Plains and Policy Division, Directorate of Plains, Headquarters U.S. Air Force; vice commander and commander of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, South Carolina.; assistant deputy and deputy chief of staff, logistics, Headquarters Tactical Air Command; commander of the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing; and commander, Tactical Training Davis-Monthan, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.

He was promoted to the grade of brigadier general July 1, 1975, with date of rank June 27, 1975. His last command was as Commander, Defense General Supply Center, Defense Logistics Agency, in Richmond, Virginia. in July 1978. He retired from active duty on 1 August 1980.

Education and Decorations
General Curry has a Master of Science degree in international relations from The George Washington University and is a graduate of Squadron Officer School, Armed Forces Staff College and the Air War College. He is a command pilot with 5,300 flying hours.

His military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters and the Army Commendation Medal.