BY SHERI TRUSTY

World War II veteran, Darrell Gress, will turn 103 on April 23. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

PORT CLINTON – Darrell Gress has a simple secret to living to 100 – and beyond.

“I have a little religious spot. I tell God I like being here, and I ask him for another day,” he said. “But if the guys I used to run around with heard I had a little religious spot, they wouldn’t believe it.”

Gress will turn 103 on April 23. His life began in Washington, Indiana, in 1922. Although his family owned a farm in the country, the farm didn’t have electricity, so they lived in town for the first several years of his childhood.

“When rural electrification came to the country, we moved to the farm,” he said.

Life was simple and pleasant. Not only was electricity a luxury, but airplanes were still technological wonders.

“When an airplane flew over the farm, we all ran out to see it,” he said. “My cousin became a barnstormer, and he took me on a ride and turned the plane on its side. I haven’t been on a plane since then. I never was in a hurry to get anywhere.”

Gress may not have traveled quickly, but he traveled far. He and seven other young men from Washington enlisted to avoid the draft, and Gress rode ships all the way to Japan when he served as a Navy Seaman First Class during World War II. His fleet took part in five invasions, including Iwo Jima.

“I served on a big fleet tug. We pulled big ships that got in trouble,” Gress said. “I took care of the guns. We had 3-inch/50-caliber guns, and we were credited with downing seven Japanese planes.”

One of Gress’ most frightening moments came on Dec. 18, 1944, when Typhoon Cobra sunk USS Monaghan, USS Spence and USS Hull, killing 775 crewmen. Gress rode out the storm in the tug.

“We survived because it was smaller,” he said. “It was scary. We had all the hatches battened down.”

Gress was still serving on V-J Day, when Japan surrendered to the Allies, ending the war. Although the war was over, Gress’ service was not.

Darrell Gress served as a Navy Seaman First Class during World War II. His fleet took part in five invasions, including Iwo Jima. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

“His fleet was the first one to go to Japan when the war ended. He was on the USS Jicarilla, and they went up the river in Japan to blow up mines,” said Gress’ daughter, Jan Ryan. “So he was still in danger after the war.”

Although Gress survived the war, not all of the friends he enlisted with made it back home to Indiana.

“One of the graveyards in my hometown has two or three of the guys in it,” he said.

Gress worked on his dad’s farm for a while before accepting a job with the B&O Railroad. He later worked for Norfolk and Southern and Nickel Plate, which brought him to Port Clinton, where he has lived for over half a century. He worked his way up to the position of conductor.

“The conductor was in charge of the train. We fixed the problems. I would walk the train to figure out where a bearing was out,” he said.

Railroads were very different then. Gress rode in the cabooses of steam engines, and when the crew needed to contact railroad dispatch, they would have to stop the train and make a phone call from small telephone buildings near the tracks.

“I retired when they took the cabooses off,” Gress said.

Gress has enjoyed his long life, and he has advice for young people just starting theirs.

“Love the country, the good U.S.,” he said. “And if you like it here, ask God for another day. Have a little religious spot. I’ve been doing that for years.”