Landing at Omaha Beach on June 7, 1944 – one day after the historic D-Day invasion of Normandy, France – U.S. Army Captain Jack King was ordered to immediately march his Company inland. Within 48 hours of coming ashore,’ K’ Company was engaged in combat. In a bold move, Captain King – who had enlisted in the Maryland National Guard shortly after his graduation from Princeton in 1940 and was called up to active duty in 1941 – decided to move his troops across a shallow stretch of the Vier River to take control of the German-occupied village of Auroville. Control of Auville was important because Captain King and his troops were the “tip the spear” of the U.S. Army regiments coming from Omaha Beach, clearing the way for the U.S troops traveling from Utah Beach and Omaha Beach to join forces, so the Allies could wrest control of Normandy from the Nazis and then push across France into Germany.

With the bridge destroyed, Captain King settled on a risky, but brilliant alternative strategy: on the misty afternoon of June 9, he deployed his 150 remaining troops in a single, horizontal line, crossing the river with their guns blazing, giving the enemy troops the impression that a large Allied force was attacking. The ruse worked – the Germans retreated and Auville was relieved of enemy occupation, clearing the way for the U.S troops to join forces. Shot in both legs by machine gun fire, Captain King was among the few American troops (all Marylanders) wounded during the crossing and capture of Auville.

Raised in Baltimore’s historic Bolton Hill as one of three sons and a daughter of a prominent Johns Hopkins Hospital cardiologist, John T. King Jr and his wife, Charlotte. Throughout his youth, Jack King was a voracious reader and strong student who excelled at the Gilman School and graduated from Princeton University in 1940. Along with his personal achievements and his tall, dark and patrician good looks, King was widely appreciated by friends and family for his unfailing modesty and occasionally mischievous sense of humor.                                  

With World War II looming, levity and mischief were soon left behind and, like many of his peers, Jack King enlisted in the military. King was assigned to the 9th Army, 13th Corps, 29th Division, 175th Infantry. Known as the “Blue and Gray” Regiment or Maryland 5th, the unit traced its origins back to the Maryland/Virginia National Guard Regiment that had formed at the conclusion of the Civil War. By 1943, the 175th had shipped out to England and spent long months in extensive training preparing to invade Europe at Normandy, France.

By October 1944, within five months of his injuries at Auville, Captain King had recovered and was returned to his regiment. By then, the 175th had marched into the province of Brittany in an offensive designed to capture an important Atlantic coast seaport, which was successful. From there, the 175th was deployed to Belgium to support the Allied thrust over the Roer River into Germany. Once again, King’s company was in the thick of the fighting, and his leadership in combat proved to be invaluable. 

After crossing the Rhine in late April, 1945, the 175th’s primary role was to round up and process Nazi soldiers who had been taken prisoner. By early May, they had captured more than 15,000 prisoners. In later years, King recalled that they found this as “an easy task” because the German soldiers preferred surrendering to the Americans rather than being captured by the Soviet Russians.

In September of 1945, now promoted to Major, King returned home to civilian life. While awaiting processing out of the military at Fort Benning (now Fort Moore), Georgia, he met and married Elizabeth (Betty) Plant of Macon, Georgia. Returning to his native Baltimore, Jack and Betty raised their two children, John Holmes King and Elizabeth Leighton King Wheeler. One of his three granddaughters, C. Lee Gordon, and her family have made their home here in Talbot County.

In civilian life, King spent a successful career as vice president and executive assistant to the CEO at the Baltimore Gas & Electric Company, now Constellation Energy. As corporate historian as well as a public relations officer for BG&E, he also served on the boards of numerous area charities and non-profit organizations including the Enoch Pratt Free Library, the Gilman School and the St. Paul’s Girls’ School, Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church, and several area family foundations. 

While King rarely discussed his wartime experiences, the memories lingered. While PTSD was not a recognized diagnosis until after the Korean War, Jack King – a good-humored, lively young man before the War – became more subdued and introspective upon his return from Europe. He would talk about his experiences with his children in the form of humorous, anecdotal bedtime stories. Beyond that, he rarely spoke about The War. 

In his later years, King became less sociable and was haunted more frequently by nightmares about his wartime experiences. Yet, he never complained or made an issue about his wartime experiences. Upon his death in 2001, he was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.

For his heroic leadership, Jack King was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, France’s Croix de Guerre, and the British Military Cross. He was one of the most decorated men in the entire Division. One citation read, “King’s aggressiveness and leadership ability under enemy fire, with total disregard for his own safety, were an inspiration to all his troops.” 

A Gilman classmate and friend, Walter Lord (author of A Night to Remember, the best-selling book about the sinking of the Titanic), reflected in a 1994 letter to him that “What you went through must have cost you great pain, but you, and those with you, did an enormous amount for the rest of us.”

While Veterans Day is designed for those who served in the line of duty, it is also an occasion to remember and appreciate the heroic service provided by Jack King and thousands of his fellow members of the “Greatest Generation” who fought valiantly and returned after World War II.

Matt LaMotte, an Eastern Shore native from Kent County, spent his youth between Baltimore, Chestertown and Easton. After college, he delved in the world of finance, raising his two sons while honing his passion for history and lacrosse. He spent two decades teaching and coaching in independent schools across Virginia, New Hampshire and Ohio. In 2018, he headed the History Department at Sts. Peter and Paul High School, Easton, until retirement in 2021. A reformed duck hunter, now bird enthusiast and conservationist, Matt is currently engaged in outdoor education and various affairs.

Kate LaMotte spent the first half of her life in Baltimore and then 10 years in Montclair, New Jersey. In 1996 she moved to Talbot County and raised her two daughters here. She has had a long (and getting longer) career in communications – primarily writing and editing — in Maryland, New Jersey and the Eastern Shore in service to higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations and presently, UM Shore Regional Health. She also serves on the Board of the Neighborhood Service Center, Inc.

At 7:00 AM on a bright Tuesday morning, the nineteen restless students from The Logan School for Creative Learning entered the airport, eager to begin their journey. The trip ahead required the group to travel five hours by plane and bus, leaving from Denver, Colorado, before eventually arriving at Echo Hill Outdoor School in Worton, Maryland. Led by their environmental education teacher, Matt Kohn, the 6-8th graders were prepared to spend the week exploring the Eastern Shore nearly 1,800 miles from home. 

Deciding on this destination was no coincidence. In fact, EHOS was hand-picked by the students as a part of the final project for their travel unit at The Logan School. The project required students to divide into four-person groups and pitch an ideal location for the class’s annual Spring trip. As a part of their assignment, they assumed the responsibility of outlining the trip’s budget, itinerary, geography, and sustainability efforts and serving as the initial point of contact with the potential host organizations. As a class, they immediately saw the appeal in EHOS, ultimately deciding to split their week-long trip between the allure of the outdoor classroom and the urban excitement of nearby DC. 

When asked what stood out about EHOS, the students excitedly spoke over each other, passionately sharing their recent experiences with the interactive classes, the engaging nighttime programs, the generous amount of free time, and even the delicious food. When designing the official schedule, Matt selected which of the ~15 classes offered at EHOS best suited his students. This unique scheduling option allowed Matt to decide on classes most specific to the area. Each class was wholly hands-on. In Early American Studies, students used oyster shells to scrape out a model of a dugout canoe, built a fire, and made popcorn over it. They were later prompted to consider how their lives were similar to those on the land before them. In Orienteering, students had to work as a team to use compasses and map their routes along the campus. They enjoyed learning about waste practices in Garbology, facing their fears in the Adventure course, and bonding through games, music, and nights spent making s’mores around a fire. A favorite of the group was the program known as Opinions, where students reviewed “The Lorax” in theatrical form. After the performance, they were assigned varying roles and encouraged to consider what environmental solutions would satisfy different groups of people in the real world. 

Aside from classes, The Logan School students valued their extensive rest periods throughout the day. At their age, children are typically bombarded with assignments and structured programs that restrict their self-direction and sense of unfiltered wonder. To prevent these limitations, EHOS provides students with a safe space to build a community and let their imaginations run wild. One student, Sydney, reflected on this when sharing what she liked most about EHOS, “I think that’s what makes us gel so much with [Echo Hill]. Our school is really student-driven.” While The Logan School allowed them to design their own major trip, Echo Hill Outdoor School allowed them the space to truly enjoy it. 

For many, the food was also a major attraction at EHOS. If the middle school lunchroom of my memory was everyone for themselves, The Whip dining hall was the epitome of collaboration. Each mealtime began with a gathering outside, complete with an offering of thanks to fellow classmates, educators, and the natural world. Students and staff worked together to set tables, serve food, and clean up while singing camp songs and sharing anecdotes from the day. The “magic chef”, Cindy Jackson, was a charming and talented woman who put together miraculous meals from cinnamon vanilla pancakes to 

cheesy scallop potatoes and baked chicken. All dietary restrictions were accounted for, ensuring that each visitor was well fed regardless of their preferences, and suggestions were taken seriously. With her sassy chihuahua, Jerry Garcia, by her side, Cindy impressed any group that came through the school. At the end of each mealtime, students participated in “Slop Count”, where they combined their food waste and weighed it. In doing this, they competed with themselves for lower weights each meal and learned about the impacts of food waste. Slop proved shockingly effective with students gleefully pounding on the tables in anticipation of the final weight announcement. When they enjoyed their final meal together, the final weight was 0lbs. A meal shared among ~30 people without any waste is an impressive feat. 

After discussing with the well-spoken, sociable students of The Logan School, it quickly became apparent to me why EHOS was worth the distance. I had the honor of experiencing the magic of EHOS myself while observing two incredible classes: Bay Studies and Scanoe. Run by the charismatic associate director, Captain Andy, “Bay Studies” was an exhilarating introduction to the importance of watershed health and estuary ecosystems. Captain Andy was no stranger to using humor as a learning tool, sparking giggles throughout the group as he pretended to have a taste of a soil sample. He ensured that each guest on his boat felt comfortable and cared for, introducing himself to everyone individually as he helped them aboard ceremoniously. The students were giddy, encouraging each other to hold the fish, and audibly gasping as new information was shared. They were even prompted to compliment the fish and give them a peck, a suggestion that led to endless laughter and shrieks. “I kissed a carp,” one student grinned, “Put that in the article.” 

Swamp Canoe class, or “Scanoe”, was led by long-time class leader, Jake Swane, and was equally as exciting as the first. Jake led students across the swamp boardwalk, discussing the succession of the ecosystem and human impact on the area throughout history. They eventually reached a canoe raft where everyone had room to pile on and paddle through the landscape together. In 2015, Jake was first hired at EHOS with the intention of summer-long employment. Instead, he fell in love with the school and has taught there for nearly ten years. This was a common sentiment among staff who tested out assistant teaching positions on a whim and ended up unable to part with such an incredible place. A visitor of EHOS will often hear the senior educator, Amanda Fry, saying that hospitality is their specialty. No truer words were ever spoken. Each staff member was gracious, kind, and constantly willing to drop whatever they were doing to help a visitor or colleague. Even after a windy night huddled in sleeping bags, they remained highly engaged and welcoming to everyone involved. 

The impact of outdoor education is in full force at Echo Hill Outdoor School and it is essential for the future health of our planet. EHOS inspired a sense of childlike wonder within me that is often diminished in higher education and the professional world. The students at The Logan School for Creative Learning feel this inspiration just as strongly. Seventh-grader Hari explained the appeal of EHOS perfectly, saying, “Out of the building is the best way to learn it all… there’s just something about getting out of the classroom.” While they gathered together to take turns petting an eel or holding onto each other to avoid slipping in the ankle-deep slush of the swamp, they were learning so much more about the power of nature than could be achieved in the silence of a classroom. These types of lessons spark activism and understanding in the upcoming generations, encouraging motivation for environmental problem-solving that has the potential to last a lifetime. Without engaging, informative, and optimistic programs like those at EHOS, environmental health suffers and young environmentalists lose hope. Captain Andy conveyed this perfectly while addressing his class: “Humans figure things out,” he said confidently. “We can do this. That’s the good thing.” 

Cailey Tebow is a Salisbury University grad with a passion for the environment and journalism.