Sergeant First Class Curtis was a veteran of World War II. In Korea, he was a member of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy near Hangye, South Korea on May 25, 1951. For his leadership and valor, Sergeant First Class Curtis was awarded the Silver Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman’s Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.