Introduction
August L. “Gus” Johnson was born on October 24, 1918 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and raised in Camden, New Jersey. He was educated in the Camden Public School System. He enlisted in the Army in 1940 and was honorably discharged in 1944.
Johnson passed the Civil Service test for fireman in December 1949, placing third on the list. He was appointed to the Camden City Fire Department on August 1, 1950 and was sworn in on August 12, 1950. He served with Engine Company 1 and retired in 1961.
He was a charter member and organizer of American Legion Post #324, a member of Clarence Hill Post #1297 VFW, a member of the Berkshire Noblemen, the Men’s Bible Class, and the Men’s Fellowship of the Kaighn Avenue Baptist Church.
August L. Johnson passed away on August 12, 2006 at the age of 87. He was living in Barrington, New Jersey, formerly of Camden.
37 Camden Men Pass Tests for City Firemen
Camden Courier-Post —
Thirty-seven candidates have passed the Civil Service test for fireman in the Camden City fire department. Thirty-two of those who qualified are former service men and three of them, disabled veterans, were placed at the top of the list under the preference given by law.
Joseph T. Hackett, of 158 Branch Village, is listed first, Owen D. Gale, 320 Marlton avenue, second and August L. Johnson, 916½ Chestnut street, third.
The salary on Jan. 1 will begin at $2400 and reach a maximum of $3160 after four years.
Following is the complete list of those who qualified in the test:
Joseph T. Hackett, 158 Branch Village; Owen D. Gale, 320 Marlton avenue; August L. Johnson, 916 Chestnut street; Harry Sterling, 112 Ablett Village; Albert A. Stinger, 1423 Bradley avenue; Jesthroe Hunt, 753 Walnut street; Harold H. Pike, 429 Penn street; Roy R. Moffa, 216 Morse street; Allen F. Hess, 2733 Sherman avenue; Franklin W. Whylings, 602 North Thirty-second street; William L. Gosnell, 3303 Crescent drive; David W. Humphries, 3017 Mickle street; William G. Winstanley, 510 Penn street; Joshua H. Robinson, 1934 Kossuth street; Henry S. Keubler, 936 Broadway; Adolph S. Zubrzycki, 1223 South Tenth street; Ralph H. Palmer, 585 Mickle street; Alexander P. Matis, 903 Haddon avenue; Earl G. Robinson, 1036 Penn street; Anthony J. DiMaggio, 530 South Eighth street; Earl A. Smith Sr., 201 Biedeman avenue; Philip J. MacDonald, 123 North Eleventh street; Robert P. Olesiewicz, 321 Mt. Vernon street; Eugene E. Demers, 2034 High street; Chester J. Gedrich, 1154 Thurman street; John F. Chudzinski, 1043 Thurman street; Samuel D. Siniscalki, 803 Line street; Santo DiMaggio, 319 Beckett street; Ludwig Polniak, 471 Pfeiffer street; George P. Baxter, 817 Howard street; Ralph F. Schaffer, Canterbury apartments; Joseph J. McTaggart, 3135 Waldorf avenue; Louis J. Monahan, Canterbury apartments; John DiMaggio, 319 Beckett street; William N. Stone Jr., 950 Vine street; Casper J. Martelli, 220 Mt. Vernon street; and H. Raymond Dixon, 439 Trenton avenue.
5 Cops, 4 Firemen, All War 2 Vets Named by Aaron
Camden Courier-Post —
Director of Public Safety Aaron this faternoon [sic] announced the appointment of five new patrolmen and four new firemen. All are War II veterans.
The police are: James R. Styles, 27, of 3013 Essex Street; William B. Reeves Jr., 24, of 431 Chestnut Street; Louis E. Walls Jr., 29, of 777 Spruce Street; Edward Fulton, 29, of 342 North Tenth Street, and Joseph A. Snajkowski, 29, of 1334 Dayton Street.
The firemen are: August L. Johnson, 31, of 916½ Chestnut Street; Owen D. Gale, 29, of 312 Marlton Avenue; Albert A. Stinger, 25, of 47 North Twenty-fifth Street, and Jestroe Hunt, 29, of 753 Walnut Street.
All the men will receive $2400 a year and will report for duty September 1. The new firemen will replace four men who have been retired on pension. Four of the new patrolmen will replace men who have been retired on pension, and the fifth replaces a member of the department who has resigned to accept another position.
5 Cops, 4 Firemen, All War 2 Vets Named by Aaron
Camden Courier-Post —
Replacements Listed For 8 on Pensions, One Resignation
Director of Public Safety Aaron this faternoon [sic] announced the appointment of five new patrolmen and four new firemen. All are War II veterans.
The police are:
James R. Styles, 27, of 3013 Essex street; William B. Reeves Jr., 24, of 431 Chestnut street; Louis E. Walls Jr., 29, of 777 Spruce street; Edward Fulton, 29, of 342 North Tenth street; and Joseph A. Snajkowski, 29, of 1334 Dayton street.
The firemen are:
August L. Johnson, 31, of 916½ Chestnut street; Owen D. Gale, 29, of 312 Marlton avenue; Albert A. Stinger, 25, of 47 North Twenty-fifth street, and Jestroe Hunt, 29, of 753 Walnut street.
All the men will receive $2400 a year and will report for duty September 1. The new firemen will replace four men who have been retired on pension. Four of the new patrolmen will replace men who have been retired on pension, and the fifth replaces a member of the department who has resigned to accept another position.
Nine Safety Aides Sworn by Aaron
Camden Courier-Post —
Five recently-appointed policemen and four firemen were sworn in today by Public Safety Commissioner Aaron in his City Hall office.
The nine men, all veterans of War II, will report for duty in the $2400-a-year posts on Sept. 1. Four of the rookie policemen replace men retired on pension and the fifth fills the job of a department member who resigned to take another position. All four new firemen replace pensioners.
The policemen are James R. Styles, 27, 3013 Essex Street; William B. Reeves Jr., 24, 431 Chestnut Street; Louis E. Walls Jr., 29, 777 Spruce Street; Edward Fulton, 29, 342 N. Tenth Street, and Joseph A. Snajkowski, 29, 1334 Dayton Street.
The firemen are August L. Johnson, 31, 916½ Chestnut Street; Owen D. Gale, 29, 312 Marlton Avenue; Albert A. Stinger, 25, 47 North Twenty-fifth Street, and Jestroe Hunt, 29, 753 Walnut Street.
Nine Safety Aides Sworn by Aaron
Camden Courier-Post —
Five recently-appointed policemen and four firemen were sworn in today by Public Safety Commissioner Aaron in his City Hall office.
The nine men, all veterans of War II, will report for duty in the $2400-a-year posts on Sept. 1. Four of the rookie policemen replace men retired on pension and the fifth fills the job of a department member who resigned to take another position. All four new firemen replace pensioners.
The policemen are James R. Styles, 27, 3013 Essex street; William B. Reeves Jr., 24, 431 Chestnut street; Louis E. Walls Jr., 29, 777 Spruce street; Edward Fulton, 29, 342 N. Tenth street, and Joseph A. Snajkowski, 29, 1334 Dayton street.
The firemen are August L. Johnson, 31, 916½ Chestnut street; Owen D. Gale, 29, 312 Marlton avenue; Albert A. Stinger, 25, 47 North Twenty-fifth street, and Jestroe Hunt, 29, 753 Walnut street.
Fire Service Card
August L. Johnson – Camden Fire Department service card
Save Man, 88, in S. Camden Home Blaze
Camden Courier-Post —
A neighbor who ran several blocks Friday night when she saw smoke and flames brought firemen to rescue Samuel Liberetti, 88, of 606 Avon st., near West and Beckett sts.
Liberetti was trapped in the cellar by the flames on the stairway and was found by firemen lying semi-conscious on the floor.
August Johnson and Orville Goldsboro, of Engine Co. 1, donned oxygen masks and went into the home as Capt. Raymond Amos, of Engine Co. 1, wet them down and extinguished the flames on the stairs so the firemen could effect the rescue.
Liberetti was treated at Cooper Hospital for smoke inhalation. District Chief Edward McDowell said the flooring of the first floor, the cellar stairway and a large pile of lumber in the cellar were burned.
Mrs. Bertha Alemi, of 602 Avon st., was returning from shopping when she saw smoke and flames and heard shouts of help coming from the Liberetti home. She ran to the 4th and Pine sts. firehouse to sound the alarm. Liberetti’s daughter, Theresa, with whom he lives, was at work at the time of the blaze.
Engine Co. 2 and Truck Co. 1 came from headquarters with McDowell.
Four Firemen Suffer Hurts In Collision
Camden Courier-Post —
Four Camden firemen were among persons injured over the weekend in motor vehicle accidents on South Jersey roads.
The firemen were injured when their engine collided with a tractor-trailer at 2nd and Market sts. Saturday about 4.30 p. m. while they were on their way to answer an alarm which was false.
Admitted to Cooper Hospital with arm, hip and knee injuries was Orville Goldsboro, 33, of 1730 S. 9th st.
Released after treatment were August Johnson, 39, of 916½ Chestnut st., who suffered multiple bruises; Reginald Laws, 36, of 1453 Bradley ave., chest and back injuries, and Capt. Raymond Amos, 52, of 825 Washington st., leg injuries.
Intersection Crash
According to police, the fire apparatus, operated by James Clinton, was traveling north on 2nd st. and collided at the intersection with the tractor-trailer, driven by James E. Tarburton Jr., 32, of St. John’s dr., Wilmington, Dela. The impact of the crash tossed the firemen off the rear step of the fire truck, which was forced over a curb and along a sidewalk for about 35 feet. The vehicle sideswiped two parked cars and knocked down a parking meter.
Tarburton was charged with failure to yield the right of way to a fire apparatus. The false alarm was turned in from a box at Poynt [sic] and Erie sts.
Obituary
Camden Courier-Post —
JOHNSON, AUGUST L. (GUS)
Of Barrington, formerly of Camden, NJ. On August 12, 2006. Age 87. Beloved husband of the late Irma (Carroll) Johnson and predeceased by sons George “Sonny Beale” Jones, and Herbert “Nupsie” Carroll, and brother Purcell.
Gus was born in Philadelphia, PA and raised in Camden, NJ. He was educated in the Camden Public School System. He enlisted in the Army in 1940, and was honorably discharged in 1944.
Mr. Johnson was appointed to the Camden City Fire Dept. in 1950, and retired in 1961. He was a charter member and organizer of American Legion Post #324, a member of Clarence Hill Post #1297 VFW, member of the Berkshire Noblemen, the Men’s Bible Class, and the Men’s Fellowship of the Kaighn Avenue Baptist Church.
He is survived by granddaughter Allison Beale, great granddaughter Danielle Pomales, goddaughters Irma Taylor, and Charlene Donelson, brothers Thomas (Mary), Preston (Evelyn), Stansbury (Edythe), sister Romay Davis, brother in law Joseph L. Wilson, Sr., his extended family the Wilsons, many nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the viewing on Tuesday, August 22, 2006 from 9–11 a.m. at Kaighn Avenue Baptist Church, 9th St. & Kaighn Ave., Camden. Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Interment at Sunset Memorial Park, Pennsauken. Arrangements by Stanley Memorial Chapels.