Michael T. Currie

Michael Thomas Currie was born March 16, 1949, in Madison, Wisconsin, the son of Thomas and Marguerite Joyce (Reiter) Currie. He was raised in Madison and graduated from Central High School in 1967.

In January 1968, Michael enlisted in the United States Navy and completed recruit training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center. Following boot camp, he was assigned to Treasure Island Naval Base in San Francisco.

Later that year, Michael volunteered for duty in Vietnam. Before deploying, he was sent to several bases for additional training. He arrived in Da Nang in May 1969 and was assigned to River Security and Task Force Clearwater at Tan My, just south of the city of Hue.

Contemporary newspaper reports from 1969 document Seaman Michael T. Currie serving with the United States Naval Support Activity in Da Nang and attached to River Security at Tan My. His duties placed him in South Vietnam during one of the defining conflicts of his generation.

When the Tan My base closed in early 1970, Michael was reassigned to the Small Craft Repair Facility in Da Nang. He returned home in June 1970.

After his Navy service, Michael attended Madison Area Technical College, earning an associate degree in Commercial and Graphic Art. He went on to work for the State of Wisconsin for 30 years before retiring in 2011.

In 1993, Michael and his wife Kimberly moved to Stoughton, where they built their home and raised their two children, Lauren and Kevin. Their family has since grown to include two granddaughters.

Michael's commitment to veterans continued long after his Navy service ended. He joined the American Legion in 2011 and has also maintained membership in Stoughton VFW Post 328. He became a member of the Post 59 Honor Guard and is also a member of Vietnam Veterans of America and the Mobile Riverine Force Association.

In 2022, Michael succeeded longtime Commander Elvin “Sonny” Swangstu and became Commander of American Legion Post 59. He continues to serve in that position today.

His leadership has also reflected the close relationship among Stoughton's veterans organizations. In a 2025 post, VFW Commander Rob Drogsvold described Michael as a friend and fellow veteran with whom he could put organizational business aside and simply talk. Rob wrote of the thankfulness they shared at the end of the day and of the importance of Post 59 and VFW Post 328 working together for area veterans.

From volunteering for service in Vietnam as a young Navy sailor to serving Stoughton's veterans more than half a century later, Michael Currie's story has remained centered on service. His years as Post 59 Commander continue that commitment today, making his biography not simply part of the Post's history, but a chapter that is still being written.