▁become ▁de grad ed . ▁Using ▁the ▁B DL ▁system ▁has ▁therefore ▁also ▁helped ▁to ▁improve ▁liv elihood s ▁for ▁women ▁in ▁Niger . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : Land ▁re clam ation <0x0A> </s> ▁Curt is ▁William ▁Howard ▁( August ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 9 1 7   – ▁June ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 4 2 ) ▁was ▁a ▁United ▁States ▁Navy ▁officer ▁who ▁received ▁the ▁Navy ▁Cross ▁post hum ously ▁for ▁his ▁actions ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Mid way ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁Naval ▁career ▁ ▁Curt is ▁William ▁Howard ▁was ▁born ▁to ▁Captain ▁and ▁Mrs . ▁Jas per ▁V . ▁Howard ▁( Med ical ▁Corps ), ▁US N , ▁on ▁Gu am ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁a ▁mid ship man ▁from ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁California ▁on ▁ 4 ▁June ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁and ▁attended ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Naval ▁Academy . ▁ ▁While ▁there , ▁he ▁box ed , ▁ear ning ▁him ▁the ▁nick name ▁" P unch y ", ▁and ▁contempor aries ▁considered ▁him ▁" poss essed ▁of ▁a ▁good ▁sense ▁of ▁humor , ▁exception al ▁pers cip acity , ▁and ▁an ▁able ▁brain ," ▁who ▁" prom ises ▁to ▁become ▁an ▁apt ▁officer ". ▁Gr adu ating ▁with ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Naval ▁Academy ▁Class ▁of ▁ 1 9 3 8 , ▁Howard ▁received ▁his ▁commission ▁as ▁an ▁en sign ▁on ▁ 2 ▁June ▁ 1 9 3 8 .