During the Battle of the Bulge Currey was in the town of Malmedy, Belgium. On December 21 the strongpoint he was defending was overrun by GermanTanks and infantry. Currey and 5 other American soldiers withdrew to an old factory under intense enemy fire. Currey found a Bazooka and ammunition nearby. He fired the bazooka at the closest tank disabling it.[2] Moving forward he then killed three enemy soldiers in the doorway of a house with his BAR. He fired the bazooka at the same house which caused the remaining Germans to run.[2] He saw five more Americans under fire from three German Tanks.[3] With Anti-Tank grenades he caused the Germans to abandon the tanks so the Americans could escape.[2] He then covered their retreat by firing an abandoned heavy machine gun at the Germans.[3] He kept the Germans at bay for twelve hours.[4] After nightfall Currey and his companions managed to find a jeep and return to their own lines.[2]Sergeant Currie was credited with saving five fellow Americans, two of them wounded. He also stopped an attack by Germans that threatened to flank (attack from the side) his division.[3]
Order of Leopold for extreme bravery in combat or for meritorious service of immense benefit to the Belgian nation
The 120th Infantry Regiment
Later career
After the Army, Currey returned to New York. He worked at the VA Hospital in Albany, New York. He held several positions with the hospital and retired as a supervisor in 1980.[6] He started a landscaping business in his retirement. He moved to South Carolina where he lived for about 20 years, then he returned to Selkirk, New York.[6] Since 2004 his hometown of Hurleyville, New York has held an annual Francis S. Currey day in his honor. in 2009 Governor David Paterson of New York proclaimed July 12, 2009 as Sgt. Francis S. Currey day in the state of New York.[7]
Currey died on October 8, 2019 in Selkirk, New York at the age of 94.[8]