Introduction
John Francis Gaffney Jr. was born in Camden, New Jersey on March 29, 1941 to John F. Gaffney Sr. and his wife Dorothy. John F. Gaffney Sr. was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on October 1, 1943. When the 1947 City Directory was compiled the Gaffney family lived at 2708 Concord Avenue in Cramer Hill. By 1956 the family had moved to 78 South Dudley Street in East Camden, where they remained through at least the fall of 1970. On February 24, 1964 John Gaffney Jr. joined his father as a member of the Camden Fire Department. On December 31, 1969 John F. Gaffney Jr. was promoted to Captain.
His father was still working as a firefighter as late as October of 1970. John F. Gaffney Sr. died on May 26, 1976.
On October 10, 1976 Captain Gaffney was cited by the Camden Fire Department for discovering a booby-trap before entering a building at 431 State Street in North Camden.
John F. Gaffney Jr. retired from the Camden Fire Department on May 1, 1990. His last years were spent as a resident of North Cape May, New Jersey. John F. Gaffney Jr. passed away on January 25, 1999.
Thanks to Captain Gaffney’s brother, Joseph K. Gaffney, for his help in creating this page.
Portrait
John F. Gaffney Jr.
Community Blood Drive
circa 1966
Henry S. Keubler – John F. Gaffney Jr.
Police, Fire Tests Take Heavy Toll
Camden Courier-Post —
TRENTON — The high rate of failures on police and fire examinations was repeated yesterday in the Civil Service Department’s announcement of the results of tests for fire captain and patrolman in Camden City.
In the captain’s test, 23 passed, 64 failed and two did not show up for the test. In the test for patrolman, 10 passed, 32 failed and 14 failed to show. In the non-residents’ test for Camden patrolman, six passed, eight failed and five did not appear.
In the fire captain’s test, Kenneth M. Clark of 111 North 26th St., Camden, a veteran, qualified with a score of 92.6, highest for the seven veterans who qualified. Joseph R. Gfrorer of 3040 N. Constitution Road, Camden, was highest of applicants with a score of 96.5.
In the residents’ patrolman test, Robert D. Craig of 817 Vine Street was high with 78. In the non resident’s test, Edwin B. Hoffman of 514 Walnut Street, Audubon, a veteran qualified with 72.2 and Flem J. Hopkins Jr. of 113 Estates Ave., Pine Hill, was high with 78.
Others who passed the fire captain’s test were:
George D. Getty of 1111 N. 34 St., 95.4; John DiMaggio of 319 Beckett St., 94; Joseph J. Anderson of 2406 Denfield St., 92.96; Phillip A. Maycott of 2836 Lincoln Ave., 90.5; James McMaster of 402 N. 37th St., 90.2; William D. Hillman of 3071 Constitution Rd., 89.4; Joseph Arensberg of 1041 N. 32nd St., 88.3; Robert E. Briggs of 2861 Congress Road, veteran, 86.3; John S. Brzozowski of 371 N. 34th St., 86.2; Edmund F. Gorczynski of 272 N. 33rd St., veteran, 85.4; Anthony F. Orme of 3317 River Ave., veteran, 82.4; William J. Young of 1126 N. 33rd St., 80.5; William D. Ayers of 2846 Pierce Ave., veteran, 79.1; Joseph Dowhy Sr., of 866 Beideman Ave., veteran, 78.9; James O. Jones of 3214 Mitchell St., 78.3; Joseph Chelhowski of 1324 Sheridan St., veteran, 75.8; James T. Robinson of 504 Trenton Ave., 75.5; Anthony D. Moffa of 23 Leonard Ave., 73.3; Robert E. Davenport of 1026 Reeves Ave., 73; John F. Gaffney Jr., of 78 S. Dudley St., 72.8, and Albert E. Collum Jr., of 2409 Howell St., 72.6.
Patrolman (residents) who passed:
Joseph A. Fox of 2117 Mount Ephraim Ave., 77.1; Charles W. Cahilly 2d of 2015 Westminster Ave., 75.; Edward B. Bush of 3210 Mitchell St., 78.9; John F. Oppmann of 550 N. 30th St., 77.7; Gary E. Miller of 486-A Rand St., 77.4; Donald J. Tymusczuk of 2737 Concord Ave., 75.1; Joseph A. Broccoli of 1467 Pershing St., 74.2; Richard W. Merta of 1641 Pulaski St., 72.9, and Robert G. Gibson of 572 Clinton St., 72.6.
Patrolman (nonresidents) who passed:
Flem J. Hopkins Jr., 78; Elwood L. Ridge, 75.4; Joseph E. Benton, 74.7; David Vautier Jr., 74.1, and Frank R. Pedano, 73.8.
Fire Personnel Record
John F. Gaffney Jr. – Camden Division of Fire Personnel Record