Three Local World War II Heroes Returned Home to Norwood for Final Military Honors-July 31, 1948

Three local war heroes who lost their lives in England during World War II have recently been returned to the United States and arrived in Norwood this week to receive final military honors and emotional homecomings. The fallen servicemen are Corporal John E. Curran, Corporal Joseph A. Selukas, and Staff Sergeant Edward C. Erker.

Corporal Joseph A. Selukas, who tragically died in an accident in England on December 5, arrived at Norwood Central station. He lay in state at the home of his parents located at 18 St. Paul Avenue until Saturday morning. A solemn high mass of requiem was celebrated at St. George’s Lithuanian Church, attended by official delegations representing Norwood’s local veterans organizations, followed by burial at Highland Cemetery. Corporal Selukas was survived by his wife, Mrs. Helen (Volant) Selukas of Watertown, and his young daughter, Alice Selukas.

The bodies of Corporal John E. Curran and Staff Sergeant Edward C. Erker arrived at Norwood Central on subsequent evenings from New York. Final military honors were accorded to Corporal John E. Curran at funeral services on Monday morning, featuring a solemn high mass of requiem at St. Catherine’s Church. He lay in state at his family home at 88 Railroad Avenue before the funeral cortege departed for Highland Cemetery. The son of the late Martin Curran and Mary Curran, Corporal John E. Curran died in an accident in England on May 15, 1944. He had served proudly with the Coast Artillery for two years at the time of his passing, having previously been stationed in Iceland for twenty-one months after being part of the historic first group of inductees to leave Norwood under the Selective Service in February 1941. He was survived by his brother, James J. Curran, and three sisters—Patricia Curran, Nora Curran, and Mary Curran.

Staff Sergeant Edward C. Erker, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Erker of 103 Bullard Street in neighboring Walpole, was brought to the Gillooly Funeral Home at 126 Walpole Street to lie in state under a solemn military guard. His funeral was held on Monday morning with a requiem high mass at Blessed Sacrament Church in Walpole, with visiting hours held over the weekend at Gillooly’s prior to burial at Highland Cemetery. Staff Sergeant Edward C. Erker was killed in an airplane accident in England on February 9, 1945, after successfully completing fifty combat missions as an aerial gunner and preparing to return home after serving overseas since May 1944. Before entering military service, he had been employed locally at Bird and Son, cementing his deep ties to the community as the town united in respectful tribute to its fallen sons.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Norwood Messenger