Alfred Leon Kluczynski

Seaman First Class Alfred Leon Kluczynski was born in Wilmington DE to Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Kluczynski on November 20, 1923. In 1940 the family moved to 431 Winslow Street in Camden NJ, what was then the 8th Ward. Before entering the United States Navy on December 8, 1941, he had graduated from Camden High School and had worked at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyards, near his home. His father was a union official at the shipyard.

Alfred Kluczynski trained at Newport, Rhode Island. He was assigned to the USS Barnett. a troop transport, joining the ship on January 31, 1942. Seeing action in both the Pacific Ocean and in the Mediterranean Sea, USS Barnett took part in landing troops at Guadalcanal, Sicily, and Salerno. With the Barnett in harbor at Oran, on October 20, 1943 Seaman First Class Kluczynski, having been injured while working with a landing party, was taken to the 7th General Hospital in Oran. He was then moved to the U.S. Navy Dispensary in Oran, where he died the next day.

Seaman First Class Kluczynski's death was reported in the October 28, 1943 edition of the Camden Courier-Post. He was survived by his parents, sisters, and step-sisters.

Alfred Kluczynski was originally buried in a military cemetery in North Africa. His body was returned to the United States aboard the USAT Barney Kirschbaum in May of 1948. Alfred Kluczynski was being buried in what was then Delaware Township (present-day Cherry Hill) NJ at the Calvary Cemetery on June 2, 1948. He rests next his father and step-mother, who passed away in 1978 and 1983, respectively.

May 29, 1948