[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 193 (Thursday, November 12, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1015-E1016]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNIZING ARMY VETERAN JOHN PAUL CURRAN

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. RAUL RUIZ

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 12, 2020

  Mr. RUIZ. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize my constituent, John 
Paul Curran and congratulate him on his 105th birthday. A veteran, 
family man, Beatles fan, and so much more, ``Uncle John''--as his 
family lovingly calls him--has led a remarkable life.
  John's story begins on November 11, 1915, in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. 
He spent his childhood there, enjoying time with his family, attending 
church, and playing baseball. In 1933, he graduated from Honesdale 
Catholic High School before he was drafted into the Army nine years 
later.
  On May 18, 1942, John began his service to our nation. It was then 
that he formed his fondest memories--serving alongside his fellow 
Americans to serve and protect our country in World War II. He spent 
three months in basic training in Gadsden, Alabama, before working as a 
Postal Clerk, Grade T/4 in the Judge Advocates office, and a Rifleman, 
Grade T/4. As a Postal Clerk, John handled and dispatched classified 
information and inspected critical Victory Mail. He served in the 
Rhineland Offensive in Central Europe and went on to receive the Good 
Conduct Medal and the American Theater Campaign Medal with two Bronze 
Stars.
  After he was honorably discharged on January 10, 1946, John returned 
home to Honesdale, where he worked for General Electric. John's 
entrepreneurial spirit led him to San Francisco in the 1950s where he 
was a partner in a small business and managed apartment buildings. 
After falling ill and receiving lifesaving care at a VA hospital, he 
moved to Palm Desert in 2003, where he now enjoys spending time with 
his grandnephews, family, and friends; playing bingo at the Joslyn 
Center; reading and doing crossword puzzles; and playing the occasional 
penny slot machine.
  It is fitting that John shares his birthday with Veterans Day, a day 
devoted to recognizing and honoring all those who have sacrificed for 
our nation.
  On behalf of California's 36th Congressional District, Happy 
Birthday, John. And we thank him for his years of service to our 
nation. As he celebrates this momentous occasion, his story is now 
recorded in our nation's history and will live on for generations to 
come.

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