Edward Joseph Curtin was born on January 9, 1913, in the Bronx, New York. He was the son of Dennis James Curtin and Alice C. Whalen Curtin. He was married to Rita Tucker. He served in the 858th Bomb Squadron, 492nd Bomb Group, Heavy, as a Sergeant and Waist Gunner of B-24 #44-40152 nicknamed ''Sierra Blanco'' during World War II.

On May 19, 1944, 'Sierra Blanco' was lost during a bombing mission over Nazi-occupied Europe. The aircraft, flown by Fisher Crew 805, came under heavy German anti-aircraft fire and fighter opposition while over Germany. The damage was severe, and although the crew managed to keep the bomber airborne long enough to leave German airspace, the aircraft could not safely return to its base in England. As the crippled Liberator reached the Netherlands, it became clear that the aircraft was no longer controllable, and the crew was forced to abandon it. The crew bailed out over Holland, but the evacuation came at a cost. Only one crew member was killed in the incident when his parachute did not open after bailing out, while the remaining nine crew members survived but were captured by German forces and became prisoners of war.

Sgt Curtin successfully bailed out of the aircraft but was captured by German forces and taken as a prisoner of war. He was subsequently interned at Stalag 8A Gorlitz, Silesia. In his civilian life, he worked as an attorney and later retired from the profession. He died on May 1, 1993, and is now buried in the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, Westchester County, New York, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, americanarchive.iwm.org.uk