Thursday afternoon, the Brookdale Senior Living Facility honored the men of the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiment – The Buffalo Soldiers.

In 1940 Albert Curley joined the army just out of 11th grade. Needing parental consent to join, his mother refused and Curley’s brother signed using their mother’s signature.

Curley was sworn in as part of Troop A of the 9th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Riley – the horse calvary.

The men were given the name “Buffalo Soldiers” by the Native Americans because buffalo were hard to kill as were the horse calvary soldiers.

The Buffalo Soldiers were an all African-American calvary, where some suggest the name by Native American came from the texture of their hair resembling that of the buffalo.

Retired First Sergeant Curley served 28 years in the US Army.

Curley was honored as one of the last survivors of the 9th Horse Calvary.

Other Brookdale Veterans honored at the ceremony include: Harold Buick, Harlan Henry, Daniel Vogler, and Phil Willhoite.