Sports
Blue Devils Name Currlin Honorary Captain
A Vietnam veteran, Middlefield's William Currlin will be honored by the Coginchaug football team on Saturday prior to the 1 p.m. kickoff against North Branford High.
Major William Currlin has been selected as the Coginchaug football team’s Honorary Captain for the North Branford game on Saturday, Nov. 3.
Major Currlin enlisted in the United States Army after he graduated from the University of Bridgeport in 1968. He was selected by the Army to attend Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning in Georgia. After successfully completing the OCS curriculum Major Currlin received further training at the Army’s Airborne and Ranger Schools. He was assigned to the historic 101st Airborne Division as a newly commissioned First Lieutenant in September 1970.
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Lieutenant Currlin was deployed to Vietnam in November 1970 where, as an infantry platoon leader, he led “search and destroy” missions against the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong in Quang Tri Province. Quang Tri was hotly contested ground in 1970 as it bordered the DMZ and served as a major infiltration route for men and materiel from North Vietnam. In recognition of his performance in Vietnam the Army awarded Major Currlin the Combat Infantry Badge and two Air Medals.
Major Currlin left active duty in 1972 as a captain and spent the next 16 years in the Army Reserves. He retired for the Reserves in 1988 at the rank of Major. During his time in the reserves Major Currlin headed the rail detachment which was charged with building the rail line from Essex to East Haddam.
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Major Currlin spent the bulk of his civilian business career in computer sales. He has volunteered thousands of hours of his time to benefit numerous area public service organizations and served on the District 13 Board of Education from 1994-2011. The Coginchaug football team’s award for “Courage and Commitment” is named in honor of Major Currlin’s sister, Bonnie.
Major Currlin lives in Middlefield with his wife Nancy. They have a daughter Jenna-Brynn Currlin.
Submitted by Coach John Bozzi
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