World War II Honoree

Francis S. Currey

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Hurleyville, New York

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. SERGEANT, U.S. ARMY, COMPANY K, 120TH INFANTRY, 30TH INFANTRY DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE: MALMEDY, BELGIUM, DECEMBER 21, 1944. ENTERED SERVICE AT HURLEYVILLE, NEW YORK. CITATION: 'HE WAS AN AUTOMATIC RIFLEMAN WITH THE 3RD PLATOON DEFENDING A STRONG POINT NEAR MALMEDY, BELGIUM ON DECEMBER 21, 1944, WHEN THE ENEMY LAUNCHED A POWERFUL ATTACK. OVERRUNNING TANK DESTROYERS AND ANTITANK GUNS LOCATED NEAR THE STRONG POINT, GERMAN TANKS ADVANCED TO THE 3RD PLATOON'S POSITION AND AFTER PROLONGED FIGHTING, FORCED THE WITHDRAWAL OF THIS GROUP TO A NEARBY FACTORY. SERGEANT CURREY FOUND A BAZOOKA IN THE BUILDING AND CROSSED THE STREET TO SECURE ROCKETS MEANWHILE ENDURING INTENSE FIRE FROM ENEMY TANKS AND HOSTILE INFANTRYMEN WHO HAD TAKEN UP A POSITION AT A HOUSE A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY. IN THE FACE OF SMALL-ARMS, MACHINE GUN AND ARTILLERY FIRE, HE, WITH A COMPANION, KNOCKED OUT A TANK WITH 1 SHOT. MOVING TO ANOTHER POSITION, HE OBSERVED 3 GERMANS IN THE DOORWAY OF AN ENEMY HELD HOUSE. HE KILLED OR WOUNDED ALL 3 WITH HIS AUTOMATIC RIFLE. HE EMERGED FROM COVER AND ADVANCED ALONE TO WITHIN 50 YARDS OF THE HOUSE, INTENT ON WRECKING IT WITH ROCKETS. COVERED BY FRIENDLY FIRE, HE STOOD ERECT, AND FIRED A SHOT WHICH KNOCKED DOWN HALF OF 1 WALL. WHILE IN THIS FORWARD POSITION, HE OBSERVED 5 AMERICANS WHO HAD BEEN PINNED DOWN FOR HOURS BY FIRE FROM THE HOUSE AND 3 TANKS. REALIZING THAT THEY COULD NOT ESCAPE UNTIL THE ENEMY TANK AND INFANTRY GUNS HAD BEEN SILENCED, SERGEANT CURREY CROSSED THE STREET TO A VEHICLE, WHERE HE PROCURED AN ARMFUL OF ANTITANK GRENADES. THESE HE LAUNCHED WHILE UNDER HEAVY ENEMY FIRE, DRIVING THE TANK MEN FROM THE VEHICLES INTO THE HOUSE. HE THEN CLIMBED ONTO A HALF-TRACK IN FULL VIEW OF THE GERMANS AND FIRED A MACHINE GUN AT THE HOUSE. ONCE AGAIN CHANGING HIS POSITION, HE MANNED ANOTHER MACHINE GUN WHOSE CREW HAD BEEN KILLED; UNDER HIS COVERING FIRE THE 5 SOLDIERS WERE ABLE TO RETIRE TO SAFETY. DEPRIVED OF TANKS AND WITH HEAVY INFANTRY CASUALTIES, THE ENEMY WAS FORCED TO WITHDRAW. THROUGH HIS EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF WEAPONS AND BY HIS HEROIC AND REPEATED BRAVING OF MURDEROUS ENEMY FIRE, SERGEANT CURREY WAS GREATLY RESPONSIBLE FOR INFLICTING HEAVY LOSSES IN MEN AND MATERIAL ON THE ENEMY, FOR RESCUING 5 COMRADES, 2 OF WHOM WERE WOUNDED AND FOR STEMMING AN ATTACK WHICH THREATENED TO FLANK HIS BATTALION'S POSITION.'