[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 14721-14722]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       PAYING TRIBUTE TO FRANCIS S. CURREY FOR HIS HEROIC SERVICE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MAURICE D. HINCHEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 6, 2004

  Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Francis 
S. Currey for his heroic service during the Second World War. I am very 
pleased to submit this tribute to Sergeant Currey, as the Town of 
Fallsburg in Sullivan County, New York prepares to celebrate ``Francis 
Currey Day,'' designated for July 10,

[[Page 14722]]

2004. The day of festivities will pay homage to the outstanding and 
invaluable service that Sergeant Currey provided to our nation during 
World War II, which earned him the Medal of Honor. Mr. Currey is the 
only living native of Sullivan County to have received this 
distinguished award.
   The details of Sergeant Currey's courageous actions are chronicled 
in a citation dated July 27, 1945 and signed by President Harry S. 
Truman. At the time of the events depicted in the citation, Francis 
Currey was nineteen years of age. It reads as follows:
   ``Sergeant Francis S. Currey, U.S. Army, Company K, 3rd Battalion, 
120th Infantry, 30th Infantry Division. He was an automatic rifleman 
with the 3rd Platoon defending a strong point near Malmedy, Belgium, on 
21 December 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 one shot. 
Moving to another position, he observed three Germans in the doorway of 
an enemy-held house. He killed or wounded all three 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 one 
wall. While in this forward position, he observed five Americans who 
had been pinned down for hours by fire from the house and three 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 tankmen 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 five 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 five comrades, two of whom 
were wounded, and for stemming an attack which threatened to flank his 
battalion's position.''
  Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to join the Town of Fallsburg in honoring 
Francis S. Currey, who repeatedly risked his life in order to protect 
his fellow soldiers and to halt the Nazi offensive near Malmedy, 
Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. The enemy offensive that 
Sergeant Currey thwarted may have prolonged the duration of the War in 
Europe and cost the lives of many more American soldiers had it been 
successful. It is with great pleasure that I hereby recognize Sergeant 
Currey's courageous and selfless actions and express my deep gratitude 
and appreciation for his tremendous service to this country.

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