Military biographies

At the age of 15 Capt. Jernee signed on as cabin boy on an old-time sailing ship and later as a crewman on one of the many merchant vessels working the coastline.

Once married in 1913 he saw the military as a way of giving his wife and family some stability.  Initially he served in the NJ National Guard.  

And then enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard in 1916.

This military service: the discipline and a chance to develop his leadership provided the foundation and stepping stone for subsequent service with the City of Ocean City, NJ as :

- the Captain of the Ocean City Beach Patrol for 22 years and 

- a 3 year term as Chief of Police and 

- Founder and Director of the Ocean City Academy.

Part of Capt. Jernee’s legacy is reflected in the number of family that also served in the Armed Forces of the United States as a result of his example of service to the nation and his community.

This section will give the military biographies of Capt. Jernee, his sons, son-in-laws, grandchildren and great-grand children.

Was graduated from Ocean City High School in 1941

Attended the Pennsylvania Maritime Academy

   located aboard USS Keystone State - Philadelphia

Served in the Merchant Marine during  WWII

Was called into the U.S. Navy during the Korean War

   and remained on active duty after the war

   and served on various amphibious ships

Until becoming Commanding Officer of the 

   U.S.S. Comstock (LSD 19)

Was graduationed from Ocean City High School in 1951

Attended Wyoming Seminary Preparitory School 1951/1952

Reported to the US Naval Academy in the Summer of 1952  

     and was Graduated from USNA, Class of 1956

Reported aboard USS Wisconsin (BB-64) August 1956 

     and served as the Boiler Division Officer

In 1958 reported to the U.S.S. Charles P. Cecil (DDR-835) 

    and served as the Chief Engineer

Was discharged from the Navy June 1960

Truxton Showers, husband of Marjorie Jernee enlisted in the Armed Forces in the Spring of 1942 as did thousands upon thousands of men and women after Pearl Harbor attack Dec 7, 1944.

Truxton Showers or Trux  as his family called him, chose the US Navy and soon was on his way to Cuba  for his basic training. The weather was blistering hot on the island according toTrux.

 Truxton was assigned to a troop ship that was being converted from a passenger liner in the New York Ship Yard.  The SS Santa Lucia was commissioned the USS Leedstown, a US Navy amphibious assault ship on September 24, 1942. Immediately it headed to Belfast Ireland to join a force preparing for Operation Torch, the invasion of French North Africa.

Early on the evening of 8 November, she was attacked by Ju 88 bombers, after offloading some troops and cargo East of Algiers.  The ship was immobilized by a torpedo on her stern.  On 9 November 1942 German Submarine U-331 hit her with 2 torpedoes.  She sank bow first off the Algerian coast.  Truxton, seaman 1st class was assigned to the laundry.  When the “abandon ship “orders were issued he found himself in the sea, without his shoes, surrounded by other sailors and some lifeboats.

 Seaman Showers at this time in his life was far from being a God fearing man.  God had a plan though, and on that 9th day of November, 1942  Truxton Showers was saved both physically and spiritually.   

Seaman Showers called out to God and told the Lord he would follow him for all his life.  The sea off the Algerian coast had a strong undertow and many men drowned in the surf trying for the shore.  Truxton was hauled into a life raft and made it to shore.

Frenchmen on the shore, were throwing ropes and using long poles to assist the sailors. Truxton remembered joining a group of sailors kneeling on the shore, thanking God for saving them.  Truxton was sincere in his promise  to become a Christ follower.

The Leedstown was unsalvageable.  By Dec 16, 1942 Truxton was back in Philadelphia waiting for his next orders.  Marjorie Jernee Showers along with his dear mother Patty Showers welcomed home their son and husband.  

Both realized very quickly that Truxton was a different man than the sullen one who had headed to Europe months earlier.  This seaman first class had a testimony of being rescued from the sea but more importantly He was now a new creature in Christ. 

Not long after his return,  Truxton was stationed at the Philadelphia Navy yard for the the next 15 months, during which time Pamela Showers was born in January 1944.  His orders then moved him to Oaklyn California. Marjorie and Pamela were able to join him for nine months beginning in Oct 1944.  In July of 1945 Truxton was ordered to report for sea duty in the theatre of the PACIFIC War effort.

Marjorie and Pamela  headed back to Philadelphia to await Truxton’s return.  With the bombing of Japan August 6th and 9th 1945,  World War II  ended and Truxton along with millions of enlisted men, headed back home to their families.

Henry Baxter, husband of Jeanne Jernee enlisted in the US Army June 30, 1941.  

He received his initial training at Camp Lee.  

As a civilian Henry worked as a plumber so once in the Army, he was assigned to a Laundry Unit in the Quarter Master Corps.  Prior to the D-Day his unit was staged in England.  His unit eventually came ashore at Utah Beach on D-Day plus 8 after waiting aboard the transport ship in the English channel for 3 days.  

Once ashore his unit, 211th QM Laundry Sect. supported a field hospital.  Over the next year Sgt. Baxter's unit traveled throughout Europe traveling through  Cherbourgh, Paris, St Mere Eglise, Versailles, Caen and Falaise to mention a few, while giving support to the Field Hospital.  

Once back in the United States after the war, Staff Sgt, Baxter was discharged from the Army on Oct. 3. 1945