User:Dpatino/Sir Douglas Dickerson

Sir Douglas F. ("Curly") Dickerson is a WWII hero and author of several books, including Doing My Duty, ,Silent Like A Lion: The Story of Fred I. Dickerson, and was a contributor to the regional publication Freedom's Heroes: True Stories From Those Who Lived Them. He has been the subject of study by Matt Mabe, who developed a tribute DVD in December, 2006.

Doug was born on April 5, 1920 to Blanche Eva Welker Dickerson and Raymond Rufus Dickerson. His older brothers, Fred I. Dickerson and Herman Edward Dickerson, Sr. served in the Navy and Army (respectively) during America's fight against the Axis of Evil. His brother, Glenn, passed away on January 1, 1957 after a lifetime struggle with tuberculosis. Another brother, Clayton, drowned in infancy.

Doug was given his nickname - "Curly" - from the comic strip "Curly and the Kids." His comment was, "Everyone called me Curly - the teachers, coaches - everybody but my parents. They called me Douglas. Nobody (in that neighborhood) knew my first name except my parents, I think."

As a young man, Curly excelled at sports, especially football. He was able to attend college at North Carolina State University from 1938 - 1942 on an athletic scholarship. But, in July, 1942, Curly got a new team. The US Army. He was recommeded to Colonel James M. Gavin to be part of a special unit of 30 men. These men had a mission. They parachuted behind enemy lines to silence the enemy.

On his first leave in November, 1942, Curly met his future wife, Edna Lee Kearnes while on a bus trip from Ft. Bragg, NC to Greensboro, NC. They continued to correspond after Curly returned to Ft. Bragg. Having an "inkling" that he would be sent overseas, he phoned Edna Lee in April, 1943 and proposed. She accepted. A month later, Curly was in Casablanca with the 505th regiment. On July 9, 1943, the 505th parachuted into Sicily.

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In March, 19996 Curly opened a mini-museum of memorabilia in his Greensboro, NC poolhouse. Congressman Howard Coble - who Curly had coached in youth baseball - cut the opening ribbon. By the time the museum closed in June, 1998, visitors from 25 states and 6 foreign countries had signed the guest book. Contents of the mini-museum were donated to area museums in an effort to preserve WWII heritage.

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