James Anthony McGuckin
Private, U.S. Marine Corps
49th Company, 5th Marine Regiment
Entered the Service from: New Jersey
Died: October 4, 1918
Buried at: Calvary Cemetery, State Highway 70 & Hampton Road, Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Introduction
James Anthony McGuckin
Private James Anthony McGuckin was the son of Mary A. and Hugh “Harry” McGuckin. He was born in Pennsylvania around 1886. His father had died by 1896, and his mother had come to Camden, according to the City Directory for that year, which has them on Chester Street. The McGuckins moved around Camden in the late 1890s and 1900s. The 1906 Camden City Directory shows his widowed mother living at 924 Market Street. James McGuckin worked as a roofer prior to enlisting in the United States Marine Corps, around 1913. Before entering the military, he lived at 1128 Lawrence Street in Camden, New Jersey. By 1917 his mother had moved to 1062 Line Street.
James McGuckin enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1915, and served in the Philippines, Panama Canal Zone, and along the Mexican border prior to World War I. He was sent to France as a member of the 49th Company, 5th Marine Regiment.
Private McGuckin was wounded on June 6, 1918, taking a bullet to the scalp. He recovered from his injuries and returned to his unit, only to be killed in action on October 4, 1918. He was 32 at the time of his death.
James Anthony McGuckin was survived by his mother, of 1047 Haddon Avenue in Camden, New Jersey. His body was returned to the United States after the war, and he was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
Marine Corps records and casualty lists released in November of 1918 report James McGuckin’s rank as that of Private. It is unclear as to how and when the rank of Gunnery Sergeant was attributed to him.
Camden Boy Among Injured in France
Philadelphia Inquirer —
James A. McGuckin Is Mentioned in Cable as Being Wounded Among Marines
James A. McGuckin, of 1062 Line street, Camden, is named among the severely wounded in the casualties among the marines cabled from France yesterday. He is 31 years old and is the son of Mrs. Mary McGuckin, a widow. “He was such a good boy,” said Mrs. McGuckin yesterday as tears rolled down her cheeks. “Oh, if I could only be with him to nurse him. We are all proud of Jim and will pray that his life be spared.”
McGuckin has been in the service several years. He has done duty in the tropics and was with Pershing in Mexico. He was home last Thanksgiving.
Lieutenant Robert Elliott Surtees, son of Rev. J. L. Surtees, a former Camden pastor and now stationed at Millville, is in a hospital in Genoa, Italy, with a shattered right leg. He is in the Canadian Army.
Military Funeral Accorded War Hero
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Body of Sergt. McGuckin Honored by Escort of Marines in Camden
Killed in action in France on October 4, 1918, Gunnery Sergeant James A. McGuckin, was accorded a full military funeral Saturday afternoon from the home of his widowed mother, Mrs. Mary A. McGuckin, 1913 Haddon avenue, Camden. The body, in its flag-draped casket and resting on a caisson, was escorted from the mother’s home to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Broadway and Market streets, by a detachment of marines from the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Butcher Post of the American Legion and the Knights of Columbus. Rev. Father George Welsh, who was chaplain in the army during the war, delivered the sermon. The body was taken to Calvary Cemetery where interment was made.
Preliminary to that event, and of a more sacred character, a family mass was celebrated on Friday at the church, of which Sergeant McGuckin had been a member, he having been one of the 300 young men of the parish who answered the call of Uncle Sam.
Sergeant McGuckin was a member of the 49th Company, Fifth Regiment, U.S. Marines, and had been in the service five years before he was killed. He was wounded on June 6, 1918, but recovered and returned to the ranks, meeting his death in action the following October.
Gold Star Mothers to Attend Foreign War Veteran's Ball
Camden Courier-Post —
Gold Star Mothers will be the honor guests at the first annual military ball of the Camden Post, No. 980, Veterans of Foreign Wars, to be held on Friday evening, February 3, in the Elks ballroom, Seventh and Cooper Streets.
Elaborate plans for this ball are under the chairmanship of John S. Pennington.
Invitations have been issued for patrons and patronesses and the list will be announced early next week.
Gold Star Mothers to attend the affair are Mrs. C. Alberger, Mrs. Harriett Ablett, Mrs. Laura Brown, Mrs. A. Crangel, Mrs. A. Cassidey, Mrs. R. Dilks, Mrs. Kate Geist, Mrs. M. Griffen, Mrs. Horace B. Keebler, Mrs. H. Kirk, Mrs. Ross Leahy, Mrs. M. A. Matson, M. McGuckin, Mrs. Mary Martin, Mrs. M. Matthews, Mrs. Cooling Pond, Mrs. Oliver Powell*, Mrs. Mary Pennington, Mrs. C. Rolk, Mrs. E. Simons, Mrs. Mary Schucker, Mrs. Margaret Steigerwald, Mrs. Annie Taylor, Mrs. M. Osborn, Mrs. Mary Keegan, Mrs. Anna Kennedy, Mrs. T.C. Young and Mrs. Walters.
Assisting Mr. Pennington in planning this ball are John Rouh, James W. Connor, Charles Bozian, Robert MacMahon, Edward Watson, David Lukoff, Harry Laxton, Edward A. Stark, George Jones, William V. Long, Joseph Keefe, Charles Blank and Marvel Passwater.
*Newspaper error — Mrs. Oliver Powell was actually Mrs. Oliver Purnell.