Curt Boggess

My name is G. Curtiss Boggess. I was in the 1958 graduating class at Marsh Fork High. Just want to share a couple of stories about two of my class mates after we had graduated and went our separate ways.

After graduation, Danny Jarrell and I enlisted in the US Army late in 1958 to late 1961. Danny and I went through Boot Camp at Ft. Jackson, SC for 8 weeks and then to Military Police School at Ft. Gordon, GA for an additional 8 weeks We both were assigned to the 716 Military Police Detachment at Ft. Dix, NJ. From Ft. Dix, Danny and I became separated. Danny was deployed to Korea and after a year at Ft. Dix, I was assigned to a high security base just outside of Williamsburg, Va. I concluded my tour of duty at Camp Peary, VA and was discharged to civilian life. Danny always spoke of being stationed in Virginia so he could travel back to his home and not be that far away. Not knowing what I would be doing after my military service, I wanted to travel and see parts of the world that I may never get to see. Who ever was listening to Danny and me, just did not get the proper message. The roles were reversed, Danny went over seas and I was stationed in Virginia.

My family had moved to Baltimore, MD while I was in the army. I returned to Baltimore and worked at Baltimore International Airport for approximately 1 year. I met an old army buddy who was a police officer with the Fairfax County Police Department, Fairfax, Va. I applied and was accepted as a police officer in November of 1962.

I was still a rookie police officer when President Kennedy was assassinated. The Chief of Police assigned a detail of officers to protect Robert Kennedy’s home in McLean, Va., and I was assigned to that detail. We spent three days at Robert Kennedy’s home.

After police rookie school, I was assigned to a substation which covered half of the county. One of the areas that I often patrolled was a place called Seven Corners. Incidentally it was the area that I also lived. I was sitting in my patrol car one Sunday morning, drinking a cup of coffee waiting for the day to start. A male subject walked up to my patrol car and asked if I knew a Raymond Salgado who lived in the area. I just knew there was no way he was talking of the Raymond Salgado that I went to school. He gave me an address, which was really close by. He and I went to the address, knocked on the door. Remember, I’m in full dress uniform. A young lady answered the door and wanted to know what I wanted. I inquired if a Raymond Salgado resided there. About that time, Raymond came out and sure enough, it was the same Raymond that I went to school with. We lived one street apart. What are the chances of this ever happening again?

I spent eight years in the Patrol Division and the remaining 12 years in Criminal Investigations. During my 20 years with the police department I was assigned several high profile cases which included a mass murder investigation along with a pay for hire murder. After my police service, I went into various management positions in the private security field which included becoming a manager for a home owners association from 1986 to 1992.

My wife and I moved to South Florida, a community called Country Walk, in July of 1992 after selling our two homes in Virginia. I arrived in South Florida on July 15th, of 92 and on August 24th, 92 Hurricane Andrew came through and destroyed our home. Most of the personal belongings we packed up and brought to South Florida were ultimately placed outside of our home where the county picked the items up and took it to the land fill. We had to start over again.

We are still in the same home and have gone through 2 hurricanes since. I fully retired in April of 2007. In July 2007, I went to Easton, Maryland to bring my Mom back to live with us since she had Alzheimer’s. She is 86 years young, her health is good but her mind is going. My older brother could not take care of her. My younger brother developed colon cancer and twice came close to not making it after the surgery. So now my days of retirement are spent taking care of my Mom. This is my sole responsibility since she raised me and my two brothers.

Our address is: 14453 SW 152nd Place, Miami, Fl 33196
Home phone: 1-305-378-0486
E-mail address: nocal306@bellsouth.net