John Trush, World War II veteran

 

John Trush, World War II veteran and wonderful man, passed away on February 11, 2015. John and all other veterans deserve our heart-felt thanks; they sacrificed for our country’s benefit. In 2005 he told me the following story about a famous battle:

 

“I remember that bloody battle near the German town of Herrlisheim. It was really a trap set by the Germans. It occurred not long before the war ended, right after the Battle of the Bulge.

 

I remember that because my company was sent north to cut the Germans off in that battle, but the Germans pulled out before we got there.

"I remember the scene of the scene very well. It was early morning and very foggy. At one point our officer, Lieutenant Woods, and I looked out and saw part of the sun trying to break through the fog, and I said, ‘That sun looks awfully bloody up there.’

 "And so we advanced, with Steinwald Woods on the left of us and the Zorn River on the right. We were supposed to cross that river to take Herrlisheim, but before we crossed tremendous fire came from that wooded area. One of the tanks was riding on the top of a levee along the river and slipped down and turned completely over into the marsh. As I drove by it I didn’t see anyone jump out of it; the escape hatch was closed. The firing kept coming from the woods, and it was lighting up our tanks like match sticks. They were full of gas and would explode and burn for hours; I’ve seen them burn all night long. They were firing 88 millimeter canons. Being under heavy fire, Lieutenant Woods called through the intercom for us to back up. He kept hollering, ‘Back it up; pour it on her!’

"We were able to retreat far enough so that the shells began to fall before they got to us. I could see the shells flying by us, quite a few of them. They were almost three feet long and I could see the waves of heat created by them coming towards us—the shape of the shell shimmering inside. As the fog lifted I could see German soldiers coming from the woods. And right away our air force fire-bombed that whole area with white phosphorous, which destroyed the trees and all the German infantry. Those bodies lay there for quite a while—frozen to the ground.

We fought battles before and after Herrlisheim, but nothing as disastrous. It was truly a nightmare. You know, for a long time I couldn’t talk about the horror of that terribly bloody battle. For a long, long while the memories kept me awake—all those men slaughtered … and I came out of it, came home, and I … oh well!”

Second Photo: 20-year old John Trush with his Company A tank buddies in 1945. Note tank and rockets at top of photo.

 

Titter Farm and Chesapeake Boat Company

 

Here’s a west view of Back Creek taken from the over-head bridge before the area was widened in the sixties. Notice the Titter farm at left. This was the home of Curtis Titter and his son, George. George was the father of Helen, Jack, and Dick Titter, notable Chesapeake City citizens. Above the Titter farm is the Chesapeake Boat Company, where I worked as a boy for Franz Kappel and his father. In the distance is the Marine Construction Company. This second picture is a south west view of the same Chesapeake Boat Company. Notice the old town dump at top right. I remember well the huge pot holes and the stench after portions were burned. As an early teenager, I spent a lot of time on this dock, pumping gas, working with the yachts, and general all-purpose goofing off.

Southern Transportation – Shipyard Department

 

 

 

This is the old Southern Transportation Company, circa 1910. It was on the North Side, across Back Creek and slightly west of the Burnt House swimming hole. My two uncles, Clarence and Warren Truss, worked there about the time the photo was taken. Clarence a master carpenter and his brother, Warren, worked on the wooden barges as a caulker. An old timer told me that he remembered hearing the banging of the caulk being driven into the seams. He said it echoed loudly across the water to where he lived on the South Side. This second photo is of the Marine Construction Company, located at the same site, circa 1960. This area, at the mouth of Long Creek, is now Capt. Dan’s, site of the Delaware Responder. As a boy, I used to swim across from the Burnt House and rest there on the wharf. Long Creek meanderers up and goes under Rt. 213 near the Crab Shack.

Causeway Flood - 1914

Masonic Hall and Causeway Flood of 1914

At top left is the Masonic Hall, showing the Causeway flood of 1914. This is an east view, just stepping off Long Bridge. Notice the old car and the store where you could get lunch with an ice cream dessert. This second photo shows another view of the same flood, with the entrance to Long Bridge in the left foreground. Did you know that Chesapeake City had a jail? There it is just left of the Masonic Hall. John Sayer told me that, when he was a boy, he heard an inmate sing out from this jail: “Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink!” John loved telling that story; I sure hope it’s true.

West View of Back Creek and Chesapeake Boat Company – Late 1950s

 

 

This is a favorite photo of mine. At left is the Chesapeake Boat Company, where I worked as a boy. Just above the boat yard dock is a red channel marker; that area had a sandy beach and was called the Burnt House. Many South Side kids used to swim there. I learned to swim there and used to dive from the top of that channel marker. We boys also used to swim across to what was then called the Marine Terminal (now Capt. Dan’s – where the Delaware Responder docks).

Steamer in Canal

This is an east view of the canal before the widening and deepening took place in the sixties. At left is Canal Street on the North Side. Almost all of those houses, thirty or more, were razed to make way for the widening. At right middle you can see the Corps of Engineers’ wharf and carpenter shop. Many local boys used to go out there to fish, but workers would often chase them off government property. The boat, headed east, is one of the Wilson Line steamers.

Pump House and Masonic Hall - Mid-Thirties

This is a south east view of the widened canal in about 1933, with the Corps of Engineer’s pump house and other buildings at top left. At right notice the Masonic Hall (soon to be removed), the Basin, Stone Bridge, and Back Creek. Bethel Road can also be seen near the top of the photo.