Maurice A. Wolfe Jr.
Maurice A. Wolfe Jr. of Pennsauken, NJ.
Rank: Seaman Second Class, U.S. Navy
Serial Number: 4051082
Unit: USS Houston (CA-30)
Entered service from: New Jersey
Died:
Burial: Arlington Cemetery, Cove & River Roads, Pennsauken, NJ
Seaman Second Class Maurice A. Wolfe Jr. was born on June 17, 1923, to Maurice and Mae Wolfe. The second child, he came after sister Virginia and brother Harry. In 1930 the family was renting a home at 6145 High Street in Pennsauken, NJ. Maurice Sr. had been an Army sergeant during World War I. At the time of the 1930 census he was employed as a furniture salesman, and later worked as a buyer for the Lit Brothers department store chain. The family would later move to 1752 West River Drive, in the Delaware Gardens section of Pennsauken.
Maurice Wolfe Jr. attended Pennsauken Junior High School and Merchantville High School. An accomplished sousaphone player, he played that instrument in the school band at both schools.
Maurice Wolfe Jr. enlisted in the United States Naval Reserve in September of 1940, and transferred to the active Navy in December of that year. After receiving his basic training at Newport, RI, he saw duty at San Diego and Long Beach, CA, before being sent to Pearl Harbor, HI. He was assigned to the USS Houston, a part of the Navy’s Asiatic Fleet, and did a tour of duty in China. He had been promoted to Seaman Second Class when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.
Serving aboard the USS Houston, Seaman Wolfe was killed in action during an attack by Japanese planes against the Houston in the Java Sea. The Houston made port after the attack, and Seaman Wolfe’s body was put ashore. He was survived by his parents, brother Harry, and sister Virginia.
His mother said of her son, in May of 1942: “The Navy was his life from the time he was 10 years old. We gave our consent for him to join only because we knew he would be happy in no other place.”
Maurice Wolfe was brought home in the fall of 1949 and buried at Arlington Cemetery in Pennsauken, NJ, joined in later years by his parents. He was the first Pennsauken serviceman killed in World War II.
Given Naval Post
Camden Courier-Post —
Maurice A. Wolfe Jr.
Who has graduated from the quartermaster training school at San Diego, and has been assigned to duty aboard the U.S.S. Astoria, in the Pacific fleet. Wolfe’s home is at 1752 West River drive, Pennsauken. He enlisted last December 26 and was recently transferred to San Diego from the Navy training base at Newport, R. I.
East Camden News — February 19, 1942
The East Camden News, a weekly newspaper which served East Camden and Pennsauken west of Route 130 and south of Cove Road, reported the following in its February 19, 1942 edition, in its “Town Crier” column:
Maurice A. Wolfe Jr., of 1752 West River drive, has been reported killed in action by the Navy. Brings the war mighty close when one of our eighteen-year-olders lays his life on freedom’s altar.
Final Rites Thursday For Seaman Wolfe
Camden Courier-Post —
Funeral services for Seaman 2/c Maurice A. Wolfe Jr., first Pennsauken serviceman to be killed in War II, will be held Thursday at 3 p.m. in the Murray funeral home, 408 Cooper street. Burial will be in Arlington cemetery.
The son of Maurice and Mae Wolfe, of 25 East Atlantic boulevard, Ocean City, he was 18 when killed in the Pacific war theatre. The family formerly resided at 6568 Irving avenue, Pennsauken.
Besides his parents, Seaman Wolfe is survived by a sister, Mrs. Virginia Kraut, Merchantville, and a brother, Harry C., Ocean City. He entered the navy in December, 1940, and was killed in action aboard the USS Houston when it was attacked by Jap planes in the Java sea. He attended Pennsauken Junior High school and Merchantville High and was a member of the band in both schools.
Photos
Maurice A. Wolfe Jr. and his family.