Alfred F. Muzer Jr, 101st Airborne Division Veteran, Dies At 60

Courtesy of Anderson and Campbell Funeral Home

Al Muzer of Toms River, passed away April 11, 2018 at VA New Jersey Health Care System in East Orange. He was 60.

Born in Englewood, NJ on March 21, 1958, Al was raised in the Outcalt section of Monroe Township and lived in Berlin, Germany; the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Clarksville and Nashville, Tennessee; and South River, N.J. before he settled in Toms River 27 years ago.

Al studied graphic arts at Burr D. Coe Vocational and Technical High School in East Brunswick, before he joined the U.S. Army. During his service, Al served as an infantryman, radio operator and drill sergeant prior to specializing as an Army illustrator and photojournalist.

He was a duty-bound member of the 101st Airborne Division "Screaming Eagles," with his last deployment as part of the Multinational Force and Observers peacekeeping mission in the Sinai. Al was honorably discharged in 1986, after suffering PTSD from the loss of 248 members of his battalion in the tragic Dec. 12, 1985 crash of Arrow Air Flight 1285. The DC-8 was carrying his comrades from Cairo, Egypt, to their home base in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, via Cologne, West Germany, and Gander, Canada. The plane had refueled in Gander and crashed shortly after takeoff.

He continued in his civilian career as a publicist, photojournalist, and newspaper editor and also as manager of The Fast Lane music venue in Asbury Park, before pursuing his passion as a music journalist. Al wrote a weekly column of music reviews called "Mr. Musichead" for The Ocean County Review in Seaside Heights, NJ. The column was later published in the now defunct Music Paper and his concert reviews regularly appeared in Musicians' Exchange, The Aquarian Weekly and East Coast Rocker.

He received several Asbury Music Awards, recognizing him as "Top Journalist in Support of Live Music" and "Living Legend," the honor of which he was most proud.

He retired in 2010 to devote time to his garden, birdwatching, birdhouse tree and his beloved rescue dogs, Dixie, Zeke, Banjo and Scooter.

He was predeceased by his mother Joan Cecelia Bera Williams. He is survived by his significant other of 27 years, Camille Rehberger Thomas; stepfather John Williams of Browns Mills, brother Kurt Muzer, wife Donna of Roosevelt and their sons Christopher and Aaron; sister Peggy Vingara, husband Rick of Spotswood, and their daughter Gina; sister Joan Muzer Bartalis Bonnain of St. Petersburg, Florida and children Maria, Laura, David, Liana and Vincent; brother-in-law Steve and wife Bernadette Rehberger of Jackson; brother-in-law Chuck and wife Kathy Rehberger of South River. He especially enjoyed being a bad influence on his nephew Charles.

Visitation will be held from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 15, 2018 at the Anderson and Campbell Funeral Home, 703 Main St., Toms River. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 18 at the funeral home. A Committal service will follow at Brig. Gen. William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Wrightstown.

Photo: Courtesy of Camille Rehberger Thomas