Curtis Alden Werden
Military
Ancestry.com
Object Number - UPL 57054 - Capt. (later Lieutenant Colonel) Curtis A. Werden
Assigned to 308FS, 31FG, 15AF USAAF. 1 x E/A claim: 13-Oct-44.
Awards: DFC, AM (6OLC), WWII Victory, EAME (2 x Battle Stars), American Campaign, AF Longevity (4OLC), Armed Forces Reserve Medal.
Post war: Retired from the USAF Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Fighter
Places
- Site type: Airfield
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Island Lake, IL | 23 January 1923 | Son of John Alden and Corla [Francisco] Werden. |
|
Enlisted |
Camp Grant, Rockford, IL | 19 November 1942 | Camp Grant, Illinois |
|
Other Discharged USAAF |
6 July 1945 | Honourable discharge. | |
|
Died |
10 May 2011 | Curtis Werden, age 88, passed away on Tuesday morning, May 10, 2011, at San Juan Living Center, with his loving family at his side. Curtis Alden Werden was born on Jan. 23, 1923, in Island Lake, Ill. to parents, John Alden and Corla (Francisco) Werden. He attended school at Wauconda, Ill. and following graduation, he spent two years at North Illinois University. Curtis enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps in 1941, training in S.E. Training Command at Shaw Field, South Carolina for P-47’s. He then was shipped overseas from Newark, N.J. to Northern Africa and on to Italy where he was chosen to fly P-51’s. He escorted B-17’s over German controlled areas and B-24's air space on bombing raids. During his 11 months there, he went on to 63 missions with 50 missions required. He was offered Lieutenant Colonel rank to take squadron commander, however, he chose to return home as a Major. He continued flying in the reserves and flew F-80’s, T-33’s and C-119’s. Curtis received numerous medals including the Air Medal with six oak-leaf clusters, the distinguished flying cross and the European Theater. He became an executive pilot for Gates Rubber Company and flew Lear Jets, a Falcon F-27, a DC-3, a twin Beech and a Bell Jet-Ranger Helicopter. He retired in 1985 and received a safety citation from Governor Love. Curtis married Patricia Kilroy on Dec. 21, 1946. They had the privilege of sharing 64 years of marriage. To their union were born five children. His hobbies included reading, pool, golf, tennis and swimming. The family moved to Montrose, Colo. from Evergreen in 1998. | |
|
Buried |
Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens Centennial, Arapahoe County, CO | 13 May 2011 | Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens Centennial, Arapahoe County, Colorado |
|
Based |
Assigned to 308FS, 31FG, 15AF USAAF. |
Revisions
ContributorAl_Skiff
Changes
