Our detachment is fortunate to have two extraordinary individuals as our guests of honor. They traveled from Hampton, Illinois to share this
Marine Corps birthday celebration with the Rome
Marines. Our honored guests are Major & Mrs.
Curtis A. Leslie. Major Leslie was born in Moline
Illinois; his wife, Faye Marie, was born in Columbus,
Georgia and has affectionately earned the title
“Georgia Peach” from her husband. Major and Mrs.
Leslie have four children – two daughters and two sons. One son, Curtis, is also a former Marine who served with 2nd Bn 4th Marines in Afghanistan.
They have one grandson in Florida. Their son-in-law is a U.S. Army Special Forces Officer.
Major Leslie
Vietnam
Major Leslie served as an Intelligence Officer (0205), and as an Interrogator
Translator Team (ITT) Commander (0250). He served two tours of duty in
Vietnam – one tour with 2nd Bn 9th Marines in 1966-67; and another with the 1st Marine Air Wing in 1969-70. Major Leslie is a Thai linguist and a graduate of the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA. He served in the Marine Corps from 1965 to 1987, and retired at Camp Lejeune where he served as the Intelligence (S-2) Officer for the 6th Marines
Major Leslie graduated from Excelsior College in Albany, New York, and subsequently from the W. C. Bradley Institute at Kenan-Flagler Business
School at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, NC. Upon retirement from the Corps, Major Leslie held management positions with the Robert Bosch Power Tool Corporation, New Bern, NC, and with the
W. C. Bradley Company Columbus, GA. He is retired from the Robert Bosch
Power Tool Corporation. Faye Marie is retired from management at
Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois.
Major Leslie’s assignments have been varied. He is a former enlisted
Marine and made it to the prestigious enlisted rank of Gunnery
Sergeant. As an enlisted Marine he served with 2nd Bn 9th Marines,
FMFLant Headquarters, Norfolk VA, 2nd MarDiv, III Marine Amphibious
Force in Okinawa, Japan, as well as the 1st and 4th Marine Air Wings.
After being commissioned as a Warrant Officer in 1974 he served with the
Interrogator Translator Teams in 1st Marine Division (Camp Pendleton),
2nd Marine Division (Camp Lejeune), and 3rd Marine Division (Okinawa,
Japan). He was the Team Commander of the 21st ITT, 1st Marine Division

Major Leslie Biography (Continued)
The Leslie family
After being commissioned as a Warrant Officer in
1974 he served with the Interrogator Translator
Teams in 1st Marine Division (Camp Pendleton),
2nd Marine Division (Camp Lejeune), and 3rd
Marine Division (Okinawa, Japan). He was the
Team Commander of the 21st ITT, 1st Marine
Division when (then) Staff Sergeant Bill McGowan was a Sub-team leader on that same IT Team. As a
1st Lieutenant the major served with 3rd Marine Division, Okinawa, Japan, and the
2nd Marine Air Wing, Cherry Point, SC. As a Captain and Major he once again served with 2nd Marine Division and with the United States Southern Command in Panama.
His personal decorations include the Purple Heart Medal, Defense Meritorious Service
Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Services Commendation Medal,
Navy-Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct
Medal, National Defense Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Vietnam Service Medal,
Vietnam Campaign Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment
Ribbon, among other service and campaign medals from both the United States and foreign governments.
Major Leslie has earned a preeminent reputation among Marine interrogators, linguists, the intelligence community, and the Marine Corps. He has been lauded as one of the finest Interrogator-Translator Team Commanders that has ever graced the ranks of our Corps, by both superiors and subordinates alike. He is “an enlisted man’s” officer who was a trailblazer in the intelligence interrogation field. He has set a lofty example of leadership for future generations of Marines for emulate.
We welcome Curt and Faye Marie into the ranks of the Rome Marines for this
237th birthday celebration of our Corps.
The Rome Marines Welcome the Leslies to
The Great State of New York
Home of the “Big Apple”
The Great state of Georgia Georgia Peach The Great state of Illinois