[2] Appointed to the United States Naval Academy, he served afloat as a midshipman with the Atlantic Fleet during World War I aboard the battleship Nevada in the summer of 1918.

[2] In June 1939, Curts was tapped to serve as communications officer on the staff of the new Commander Battle Force, Admiral James O. Richardson.

After the attack, Curts discovered that civilian hysteria in Honolulu was being stoked by the local radio stations, which were broadcasting a series of well-intended messages that were designed to instruct and calm the population but were having the opposite effect.

The citation stated: "Skillfully directing his ship in an assignment of vital importance, [then-Captain] Curts courageously maneuvered through enemy-infested waters during the approach on Leyte Gulf and, continually providing alert and effective defense for our invasion forces against hostile air attacks, furnished close-in bombardment support for the actual landings.

In the course of this action, his ship assisted in the sinking of at least one Japanese battleship, a cruiser and six destroyers, thereby contributing materially to the success of our operations in this area.

Swift damage control measures allowed Columbia to complete its bombardment and remain in action to support underwater demolition teams.

Again, Columbia extinguished fires and repaired damage, and was able to complete its bombardment schedule within half an hour of being hit, before departing that night in escort of a group of unloaded transports.

[10][11] Later that year, as chief of staff and aide to the new Commander, Fast Carrier Task Force, Pacific Fleet, Vice Admiral Frederick C. Sherman, Curts attended the Japanese surrender ceremony aboard the battleship Missouri on September 2, 1945.

Chief of Naval Operations Robert B. Carney was selecting members of an upcoming promotion board and picked Curts for his skill and contacts in the fields of electronics and communications.

Queried as to his change of heart, Thomas initially denied ever having vetoed Curts, then, when pressed by an incredulous Carney, "finally said he couldn't understand why he had done it, except that somebody must have told him something."

He received a commendation from the Secretary of the Navy for outstanding contributions in the development of radar while serving as officer-in-charge of the Radio and Sound division of the Naval Research Laboratory.

[2] He is the namesake of the guided-missile frigate Curts, whose crest contains a flaming bomb referring to his combat service in command of Columbia, flanked by sinusoidal waves intended to evoke his contributions to the development of radar.

He died at his vacation home at Las Gaviotas, Baja California, Mexico at the age of 77,[3] and is buried with his first wife in Arlington National Cemetery.