The name Robert E. McCurdy appears among the US War Department deaths of Santa Cruz County, California; however, his relationship with the county appears limited.

Robert Ernest McCurdy, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest McCurdy, was born in Contra Costa, California, on August 11, 1921. He was raised and educated in Taft, California, before his parents moved to Santa Cruz. At the time of his draft registration in 1942, he indicated that he was single, had completed two years of college and worked as a foreman in a manufacturing facility.

Robert McCurdy was inducted into the US Army on September 10, 1942, and after completing basic training, was selected for armor training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. While at Fort Knox, he married a Kentucky girl. At the completion of his training, Private First Class McCurdy was assigned to the 23rd Tank Battalion of the 12th Armored Division.

McCurdy and his unit sailed for Europe from Camp Shanks, New York, on September 20, 1944, and arrived at Liverpool, England, on October 2. Five weeks later they were sent to France where they joined the 7th US Army. The 23rd Tank Battalion moved into the Alsace Lorraine region of France and during the fighting taking place near Metz on February 4, 1945, Technician 5th Class (Corporal) Robert Ernest McCurdy was killed in action. His body was recovered and buried in the American Cemetery in Epinal France.

(CBR; NARA2, ABMC, SCSn September 30, 1943 4:3, May 12, 1945 1:4; 12th Armored Division History, http:// www.12tharmoreddivision.com/history.html, [15 May 2007])