AZ AZ - Donald Emerson Curtiss, 18, Catalina Mountains, 9 Nov 1969

[Gardener1850]

Donald Emerson Curtiss
Nickname/Alias Donald Emerson Curtiss Jr., Don Curtiss
Pima County, Arizona
18 year old white male

Brown Hair
Green Eyes

Height (inches)	66.0 to 68.0
Weight (pounds)	155.0 to 165.0

Carrying inhaler and possibly had metal detector with him.

Circumstances: Donald Curtiss, 18, was last seen on November 9, 1969 when he and a friend went hiking in the Catalina Mountains to do "gold prospecting." Five days later, his companion wandered out of the mountains, saying the two had gotten lost and he had left Donald behind to seek help. A six day search of the area was initiated but Donald was never located.


https://www.findthemissing.org/en/cases/17759/

 

[StarrChance]

This is a very sad case, a young handsome man, lost in the mountains and his body never found. There is quite a few articles in newspapers.com, his friend was lost for several days, was in a bad way when he found his way out to a road, after he went to find help. He did a lie detector test,
and was completely cleared. It must have been very traumatic for him also.
Here’s one link
12 Mar 1971, Page 19 - Arizona Daily Star at Newspapers.com

 

[Coffee56]

His FB missing page has some news articles

Donald Curtiss, missing since 1969 | Facebook

 

[Richard]

50 years missing...

Donald Emerson Curtiss Jr.

• 
• 
• 

Curtiss, circa 1969

• Missing Since 11/08/1969
• Missing From Tucson, Arizona
• Classification Lost/Injured Missing
• Sex Male
• Race White
• Age 18 years old
• Height and Weight 5'6 - 5'8, 155 - 165 pounds
• Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, green eyes. Curtiss's nickname is Don. Some agencies spell his last name "Curtis."

Details of Disappearance
Curtiss was last seen in Tucson, Arizona on November 8, 1969. He and a friend, Brian McNamara, hiked out into the Catalina Mountains to look for gold. They had a metal detector and possibly an inhaler with them. They planned to return to Tucson that same day; they were living at the YMCA there.

On November 15, McNamara came out of the mountains in Upper Sabino Canyon and hitchhiked back to Tucson. His clothes were in tatters and his feet were in bad shape. He stated a sudden winter storm had caught him and Curtiss on top of Mount Lemmon and they had gotten lost. Curtiss had developed severe leg cramps and was unable to walk, so McNamara left him and went to seek help.

An extensive search, lasting six days, turned up no indication of Curtiss's whereabouts. His case remains unsolved, but foul play is not suspected; he is believed to have died of exposure in the mountains. Phoenix, Arizona police are investigating.

Source:

Donald Emerson Curtiss Jr. – The Charley Project

 

[MadMcGoo]

Refreshing the thread...

 

[Diane Redfern]

Could this be a match?
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Google Maps

 

[Bagpus]

Could this be a match?
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Google Maps

There doesn't seem to be anything to rule it out. It would be helpful to know what Curtis was wearing when he went missing. The shoes in particular.

 

[Diane Redfern]

There doesn't seem to be anything to rule it out. It would be helpful to know what Curtis was wearing when he went missing. The shoes in particular.

I couldn't find that info... however, I find it kind of weird wearing oxford shoes to that area; not sure if Don Curtiss would have done the same election if he planned on prospecting the mountains.

 

[Bagpus]

I couldn't find that info... however, I find it kind of weird wearing oxford shoes to that area; not sure if Don Curtiss would have done the same election if he planned on prospecting the mountains.

I couldn't find it either.

I agree about the shoe choice. I suppose it's possible if those were the only shoes he had. I'm surprised that his companion didn't give a basic description of his clothes, like jacket colour.

 

[Diane Redfern]

I couldn't find it either.

I agree about the shoe choice. I suppose it's possible if those were the only shoes he had. I'm surprised that his companion didn't give a basic description of his clothes, like jacket colour.

According with the article, Brian McNamara was disoriented and in a very poor condition when he was found; maybe he didn't remember those details. Sorry for this cliché, but... Usually men don't even notice a pair of shoes. Anyway, I must confess I only notice those details when they surprise me.

 

[Richard]

I couldn't find it either.

I agree about the shoe choice. I suppose it's possible if those were the only shoes he had. I'm surprised that his companion didn't give a basic description of his clothes, like jacket colour.

We should not be too quick to criticize or question shoe choice based on today's norms. I can remember back to the late 1960's when everybody wore oxfords or loafers to school, and very few kids owned what would be classified as "hunting boots".

There really was no such thing as "hiking boots" back then. The closest thing would probably have been a pair of surplus army boots. And running shoes only existed as canvas tennis shoes of what is now called the "Chuck" style.

I recall, in the 1960's, having only two pairs of oxfords and only a pair of rubber overshoes to wear over them to go out in cold weather or snow. So, yes, I wore oxfords all the time back then - as did many others.

These guys were staying at the YMCA, so probably not very wealthy. What was meant to be a fun afternoon turned into several days of freezing cold and a serious survival situation.

 

[Diane Redfern]

We should not be too quick to criticize or question shoe choice based on today's norms. I can remember back to the late 1960's when everybody wore oxfords or loafers to school, and very few kids owned what would be classified as "hunting boots".

There really was no such thing as "hiking boots" back then. The closest thing would probably have been a pair of surplus army boots. And running shoes only existed as canvas tennis shoes of what is now called the "Chuck" style.

I recall, in the 1960's, having only two pairs of oxfords and only a pair of rubber overshoes to wear over them to go out in cold weather or snow. So, yes, I wore oxfords all the time back then - as did many others.

These guys were staying at the YMCA, so probably not very wealthy. What was meant to be a fun afternoon turned into several days of freezing cold and a serious survival situation.

You are right, maybe he didn't own another pair of shoes.
Maybe I've been too enthusiastic, but I wrote NamUs about this possible match. It's the first time I've done that, I'm nervious.

 

[Richard]

You are right, maybe he didn't own another pair of shoes.
Maybe I've been too enthusiastic, but I wrote NamUs about this possible match. It's the first time I've done that, I'm nervious.

You are certainly right to submit Donald as a possible match to the Unidentified person found in 1981.

Several things stick out to me in this case.

- First is that Donald Emerson's case summary indicates he is missing from Tucson, Arizona - but that Phoenix police are the investigating agency. What agency had jurisdiction at the time?

- Could use more information regarding where he was from, where he attended school, etc. One site says that he was from Illinois. What brought him to Tucson, Arizona?

- The summary indicates that the boys had a metal detector and and inhaler with them. What make and model? What prescription info? Were these items ever found?

Where did the boys enter the Mountain area? Where did Brian exit it? If this information was known, perhaps a contour map of the region could give some clues. Did they just wander in or did they have a map and a plan?

Regarding the Unidentified person, it was indicated that a Draft Card was found with or near the body. If that is the case, what name and information is on that card? Seems like a good clue...

The “draft card” was a card that the local Selective Service office issued to each man at the time he registered (at age 18). For many years there were in fact two cards: the Registration Certificate and the Notice of Classification. When Selective Service began to store records on computer tapes in the early 1970s, the two cards were combined into one computer-generated Status Card. At no time was the card officially titled “draft card,” but it was by this colloquial name that the proof of registration was usually known.

Selective Service regulations in force in 1969 required each registrant to have his card in his possession at all times.

Here is some information regarding "draft cards":

Draft Cards | Selective Service System

Here is some information regarding Mount Lemmon, near Tucson, AZ:

Mount Lemmon - Wikipedia

 

[eepersip]

You are right, maybe he didn't own another pair of shoes.
Maybe I've been too enthusiastic, but I wrote NamUs about this possible match. It's the first time I've done that, I'm nervious.

Curious if you’ve heard anything back about this? (p.s. I definitely think you made a wise decision in writing to them, regardless of if it turns out to be a match or not!)

 

[Diane Redfern]

Curious if you’ve heard anything back about this? (p.s. I definitely think you made a wise decision in writing to them, regardless of if it turns out to be a match or not!)

I haven't received any answer about this case. I suppose I wasn't the first one who noticed the similarities. I received a default response in other case, but not in this one.

 

[Diane Redfern]

I've written again to Dustin Driscoll.

 

[Diane Redfern]

https:///wiki/Tucson_John_Doe_(March_1981)

According to this, Donald has been excluded.