Curtin, Richard D. (Richard Daniel), 1915-

Richard Daniel Curtin was born in Tauton, Massachusetts, in 1915, and entered Brown University in 1933. In 1935, he received a Senatorial appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He graduated in 1939 with a Bachelor of Science degree, and received his first commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Coast Artillery. Curtin served in antiaircraft training roles at U.S. Army bases in New York and in the Canal Zone, defending U.S. territory and interests with the Panama Coast Artillery Command. In 1944, he was assigned to the Ninth Air Force in 1944, and served overseas with Advanced Headquarters, 9th Air Force in England, France, Belgium and Germany. After returning from Europe in 1946, he was assigned to the Air University, Maxwell AFB, Alabama as an original faculty member charged with preparation of course instruction and curriculum, and he served for two years on the faculty of the Air Command and Staff School. In 1948, he was assigned to the University of Michigan as a student, and in 1950, earned a Master's Degree in aeronautical engineering. Upon completing graduate school, he was assigned to the War Plans Division of Headquarters, U.S. Air Force, and participated in key projects relating to guided missiles and special project planning. He served in this role until 1954, when he was again deployed overseas as Director of Plans and (later as) Chief of Staff of the 17th Air Force in North Africa and Turkey. Returning to the U.S. in 1956, Curtin was assigned to Headquarters Air Research and Development Command, where he continued his career in missile programs. In 1958, he joined the Air Force Ballistic Missile Division, where he served as Deputy Commander, Space Programs. In 1960, he was appointed Deputy Director, Systems Development, and later was promoted to Director of Missiles and Space Systems in the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force. In 1963, he was promoted to the grade of Major General. Throughout this period and the remainder of his career, he directly oversaw numerous research and development projects, and was responsible for new aircraft, missiles, and space programs of the era. In July of 1965, Curtin was appointed Deputy Defense Advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He retired from active duty on November 1, 1967. His numerous career distinctions include being an original recipient of the U.S. Air Force Guided Missile Insignia. For his service in World War II, he received the Legion of Merit and two Bronze Stars for meritorious achievement in special operations.