Walter Joseph Patrick Curley Jr. (September 17, 1922 – June 2, 2016) was the 57th

United States Ambassador to France The United States ambassador to France is the official representative of the president of the United States to the president of France. The United States has maintained diplomatic relations with France since the American Revolution. Relations w ...

from 1989 to 1993, and the

United States Ambassador to Ireland The United States ambassador to Ireland is the ambassador, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary from the United States of America to Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is considered a highly prestigious position within the United States F ...

from 1975 to 1977. Curley was

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

's Commissioner of Public Events and Chief of Protocol from 1973 to 1974, during the administrations of

John Lindsay John Vliet Lindsay (; November 24, 1921 – December 19, 2000) was an American politician and lawyer. During his political career, Lindsay was a U.S. congressman, the mayor of New York City, and a candidate for U.S. president. He was also a regu ...

and Abraham Beame.

Career

He wrote two books on royalty, ''Vanishing Kingdoms'', and ''Monarchs in Waiting'', as well as two memoirs, ''Letters from the Pacific: 1943–1946'', and ''Almost a Century: An American Life East and West of Suez''. Curley was a graduate of

Phillips Academy Phillips Academy (also known as PA, Phillips Academy Andover, or simply Andover) is a Private school, private, Mixed-sex education, co-educational college-preparatory school for Boarding school, boarding and Day school, day students located in ...

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

and

Harvard Business School Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate school, graduate business school of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university. Located in Allston, Massachusetts, HBS owns Harvard Business Publishing, which p ...

. Curley was in the

Marine Corps Marines (or naval infantry) are military personnel generally trained to operate on both land and sea, with a particular focus on amphibious warfare. Historically, the main tasks undertaken by marines have included raiding ashore (often in supp ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, serving from 1943 to 1946, seeing combat on

Iwo Jima is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands, which lie south of the Bonin Islands and together with them make up the Ogasawara Subprefecture, Ogasawara Archipelago. Together with the Izu Islands, they make up Japan's Nanpō Islands. Although sout ...

and

Okinawa most commonly refers to: * Okinawa Prefecture, Japan's southernmost prefecture * Okinawa Island, the largest island of Okinawa Prefecture * Okinawa Islands, an island group including Okinawa itself * Okinawa (city), the second largest city in th ...

. He was a captain and was decorated with a

Bronze star The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...

. Curley died in New York City. His nomination as United States Ambassador to France was controversial as he was one of several made by Bush of long-time financial backers and financial supporters including Peter F. Secchia ( Ambassador of Italy), Joseph Zappala ( Ambassador of Spain), Mel Sembler ( Ambassador of Australia), Frederic Bush Morris ( Ambassador of Luxembourg), and Joy Silverman ( Ambassador of Barbados).

Works

* * * *

References

External links

*
Walter J. P. Curley Papers (MS 2009).
Manuscripts and Archives. Yale University Library. 1922 births 2016 deaths Writers from Pittsburgh Writers from New York City Yale University alumni Ambassadors of the United States to France Ambassadors of the United States to Ireland American male writers Harvard Business School alumni Phillips Academy alumni United States Marine Corps officers United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II {{US-diplomat-stub