A. Wayne
Kraft

ADELBERT WAYNE KRAFT was born in Camden on October 12, 1934 to Elizabeth and Norwood V. Kraft and his wife, the former Elizabeth Laura Billet. The family was living at 903 North 19th Street in Cramer Hill when the 1940 and  1947 Camden City Directories were compiled.

A. Wayne Kraft served in the United States Army, reaching the rank of Specialist 4th Class.

On June 29, 1962 A. Wayne Kraft was appointed to the Camden Fire Department. He reported for duty on July 1, and served for over 25 years, retiring on pension on February 1, 1988. He lived in Maple Shade for a while and eventually moved to Florida. 

In his last years A. Wayne Kraft made his home in Florida at Spring Hill, where another Camden fireman from Cramer Hill, Edward Kreher, had retired to a number of years earlier.

A. Wayne Kraft passed away on June 9, 2007. He was buried at Florida National Cemetery.

9 Firemen Graduate In City Test

Graduation exercises for nine of the city's newest firemen were held Tuesday in headquarters at 3rd and Arch Streets under direction of Public Safety Director Bedell and Fire Chief Edward R. MacDowell.

The graduates and their assignments are Joseph Anderson, Canterbury Apartments, No. 1 Ladder; Prescott Johnson, 1238 Kenwood Avenue, No. 8 Engine; Philip Maycott, 1023 North 32nd Street, No. 9 Engine; George Getty, Canterbury Apartments, No. 2 Engine; Ronald Bowers, 617 Clinton Street, No. 2 Ladder; William Young, 3167 Westfield Avenue, No. 2 Engine Company; Wayne Kraft, 1052 N. 35th Street, No. 3 Ladder; Raymond Eldridge, 7 North Dudley Street, No. 7 Engine; and Donald Goehringer, 30 North 24th Street, No. 7 Engine Company.

They will receive a starting salary of $4,800. Chief MacDowell said this brings the department to 170 hosemen and to 224 total personnel in the department. 

All nine were graduated after receiving three weeks of training at the fire school under the direction of Captain Leo J. Tompkins.

Their training also included two days at the Navy Fire School at the Philadelphia Naval Base.