Edward F. Murtaugh

PRIVATE EDWARD F. MURTAUGH was born January 18, 1923 in Camden NJ, the youngest of seven children born to John J. and Catherine Murtaugh. The Murtaugh family had moved to Camden some time between in 1910 and 1914. That year's city directory shows John J. Murtaugh at 8 North Marlton Avenue [North Marlton Avenue was renamed East State Street not long afterwards- PMC]. The 1924 Camden City Directory shows the family at 2004 Cooper Street, the 1927 edition list them at  2114 Howell Street. The Murtaughs moved once again by 1929, when they settled in at 117 North 34th Street. By 1929 John J. Murtaugh was working as a core maker at the Eureka Brass Foundry, which served Camden's shipyards, and brothers James, John, and Francis were all working in Camden's various industries. Besides Edward, older siblings Catherine, Thomas, and Margaret were still at home at the time of the April 1930 census. Like many other young men of his time, and ours, brother Francis Murtaugh had a heavy foot on the gas pedal, and was caught racing down Federal Street at 2:30 AM in October of 1936. For this he was fined all of $3.00. It truly was a different world.

Edward Murtaugh graduated from St. Joseph's School on Westfield Avenue in Camden. He was working for an electrical firm in Philadelphia when he was inducted into the United States Army. 

After undergoing basic training, he was sent overseas as an infantry replacement and assigned to Company C, 135th Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division. He was killed in action, during the attack on San Vittore del Lazio, Italy on January 6, 1944. He was survived by his parents and siblings. His brother Francis had recently been discharged from the Marines after seeing duty on Guadalcanal, and Thomas Murtaugh was then a sergeant with the Army Air Force at Myrtle Beach SC. His death was reported in the evening edition of the March 9, 1944 Camden Courier-Post.

Edward Murtaugh was brought home to the United States after the war, and he was buried at Calvary Cemetery in what was then Delaware Township (present-day Cherry Hill) NJ on October 2, 1948. 

Private Murtaugh's brother, John J. Murtaugh Jr., named his son after his deceased brother in November of 1947. Edward F. Murtaugh served in Vietnam and was a career firefighter with the Camden Fire Department, and later an officer with the South Jersey Vietnam Veterans Association.

ITALY- 1944

NORTH OF HIGHWAY 6, the slopes of Sammucro flanked the route
of advance toward Cassino. 
San Vittore, is in the foreground, was the next objective after II Corps captured San Pietro.

CLICK PHOTO TO ENLARGE 

PLANS FOR THE ATTACK
January 5, 1944

September 29, 1948