Recognizing Army Veteran John Paul Curran
Floor Speech
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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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