Van Horn Class of 1964 Presents Memorial Scholarship

Van Horn High School JROTC Cadets Josh Ramirez and Aja Marshall were honored by the Van Horn Class of 1964 with the Lee Currier Memorial Scholarship. The Class of 1964 established the scholarship in memory of their classmate, Gordon Leroy “Lee” Currier. Currier graduated from Van Horn and started college, but was drafted and assigned to the 981st Military Police in Fort Carson, Colo.

While in Colorado, he trained sentry dogs to detect explosives. He was deployed to Vietnam Dec. 6, 1967. Jan. 31, 1969 – the first day of the Tet Offensive and exactly one week after turning 22- Pfc. Currier and his K-9 partner Satch were guarding ammunition in Long Binh when the two were overwhelmed by enemy soldiers and killed during an intense small arms and mortar firefight.

For his valor, Pfc. Currier was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and the Good Conduct Medal. In June 2006, the Gordon Lee Currier Jr. Military Working Dog Kennel at Fort Meade, Md. was dedicated in his honor.

Several members of the Class of 1964 scholarship committee and Joe Currier, Lee’s younger brother, presented each cadet $1,500 during a luncheon inside the school’s Alumni Room. Ramirez plans to attend Truman State University and Marshall the Kansas City Art Institute. Each completed a detailed scholarship application process including a 500 word essay on the topic- How participation in JROTC helped me be a better citizen.