John Alden Rusch, Jr. was born in 1914 in New York and grew up in Port Byron. He joined the United States Army in April 1942. He served with the 343rd Engineer General Service Regiment Company D which was activated at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. Rusch participated in campaigns in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, and onward to Germany through Austria and the Brenner Pass. He had two other brothers that served in the Army: Alfred and Clarence. After his time in the military, Rusch worked for the New York Central Railroad. John Rusch died in New York in 1976. Collection includes over 500 photographs and some correspondence. The collection consists of over 475 photographs taken during Rusch's service in Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Germany and Austria.