World War II Honoree

Clark 'Pinky' W. Curry

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Honored By

David Meroney

Relationship

Grandson

CLARK 'PINKY' CURRY ENTERED THE SERVICE AS AN ENLISTED MAN WITH THE NAVY. HE COMPLETED BASIC TRAINING IN SAN DIEGO AND WAS SENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS TO LEARN ABOUT ELECTRIC ENGINES. WHILE WORKING TO BECOME AN ELECTRICIAN'S MATE AT KANSAS UNIVERSITY, HE MET HIS FUTURE WIFE, JEAN DOOLEY. AFTER COMPLETION OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM, HE SERVED ABOARD THE TROOP TRANSPORT USS GENERAL HARRY TAYLOR. THIS SHIP COULD CARRY UP TO 4,000 TROOPS WITH A CREW OF 500. THE SHIP FIRST PERFORMED MISSIONS IN THE PACIFIC, TRANSPORTING TROOPS TO NEW GUINEA AND MANY OTHER ISLANDS. LATER HIS SHIP SAW SERVICE IN THE ATLANTIC THEATER AND INDIA. HIS DUTIES INCLUDED WORKING ON THE SHIP'S ELECTRIC MOTORS AND ALSO AS SHIP'S BUGLER AND PERFORMING WITH THE SHIP'S BAND. AFTER GERMANY SURRENDERED, HIS SHIP WAS TRANSPORTING A LOAD OF SOLDIERS FROM FRANCE TO THE PACIFIC. THESE TROOPS HAD JUST FINISHED FIGHTING THE GERMANS AND WERE ON THEIR WAY TO BEGIN THE FINAL ASSAULT ON JAPAN. AS THE SHIP NEARED THE CARIBBEAN SEA, THEY WERE NOTIFIED THAT JAPAN HAD SURRENDERED AND THE SHIP TURNED AROUND AND HEADED TO NEW YORK. THE USS GENERAL HARRY TAYLOR WAS THE FIRST TROOP TRANSPORT SHIP TO ENTER NEW YORK HARBOR AFTER THE END OF FIGHTING, AND THEY RECEIVED A HUGE WELCOME.