Survivors mark 60th anniversary of 1947 disaster

TEXAS CITY — If not for an unpaid debt, A.C. Jerry would have likely survived the Texas City Disaster. But the office manager was determined to collect what was owed his company even if it meant going aboard a burning ship.

On April 16, 1947, the orange and black smoke that rose above the docks of the Texas City harbor mesmerized Jerry. At the time, he was not aware the source of that smoke was a fire aboard the French cargo ship Grandcamp.

“When he heard the whistles that he thought meant the ship was leaving, he took off,” said Jerry’s daughter, Sherry Kerr. Kerr drove from Arkansas to join 200-plus for the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Texas City Disaster on Monday.

Jerry was the office manager for Mainland Laundry and kept dutiful records of the company’s accounts. Its clients included the ships that would dock at the port of the Texas City Terminal Railway Company, among them the SS Grandcamp.

Kerr said her father assumed the whistles he heard meant the ship was leaving. Fearful the Frenchmen were about to skip on their bill, he made haste for the docks.

“My mom recalled him hollering that the French were about to rip the company off,” Kerr said.

When Jerry arrived at the docks, he saw firefighters battling the blaze aboard the Grandcamp.

The good news was the ship had not set sail. The bad news was if he wanted to be paid, he had to go aboard the ship to collect the unpaid bill.

“A friend of my dad’s was on the dock at the time and he told my mom he saw dad go aboard the ship,” Kerr said. “He had just called my mom and told her to come down and take a look at a fire boat, because she had never seen one before.”

Jerry’s no-fuss attitude about the fire that raged aboard the Grandcamp was typical. The fire was more entertainment than a disaster waiting to happen for residents of Texas City who had gathered to watch the smoke and firefighters.

Kerr said her mother gathered her up and was preparing to head to the docks to see all the action when the unimaginable occurred. Shortly after 9 a.m., the Grandcamp’s load of ammonium nitrate exploded with the force of an atomic bomb.

Among the 600 victims of the blast was Jerry. Kerr said neither she nor her mother ever found out just how much was owed to Mainland Laundry. No matter the amount, Kerr said her father was dutiful in making sure every penny was accounted for.

Kerr returned to Texas City Monday in part to honor her dad, whose name is listed at the city’s Memorial Park, but also to honor her mother.

“We came here for the 50th anniversary and my mom (Ruthelle Jerry) told us then that she didn’t know if she would make it to the 60th,” said Kerr.

Ruthelle Jerry died three years ago. Kerr honored her mom’s last request by making the drive from El Dorado, Ark., joining up with her daughter, Stephenie Ruby, to attend the 60th anniversary ceremonies.