Chalmer L. Kraft, of Luther Acres, Lititz, entered into rest on May 6, 2020, in his 99th year, of natural causes. He was the son of the late Ethel and Albert Kraft of Columbia, PA. He was preceded in death by his wife of 69 years, V. Gertrude Kraft, in 2014. His brother, Albert "Bud" Kraft, passed away in March of this year.
His survivors include his stepson, Donald, married to Dolores Sweigart of Willow Street, two grandchildren, Kimberly, married to William R. Grotewold, San Antonio, Texas, and Jason, married to Jessica Sweigart, Conestoga, PA and three great grandchildren, Mason and Carley Sweigart, and Zachary Grotewold, two nieces, Cheryl Ronan and Karen Smoker, both of Columbia, and one nephew, Michael Coble, Lancaster. He was also a favorite "uncle" of Alice Houtz, Westerville, Ohio, and Martha Ruth, Austin, Texas, who were the daughters of his best friends, the late Muriel and Ernest Paisley.
Chalmer entered the Military in 1939 directly after high school and served in the Army Air Corps during World War II as an aerial engineer. He was stationed in the Assam Province of India for close to three years. He was assigned to a unit that flew across the Himalayas, hauling 55-gallon drums of fuel to China. During that time, he flew fifty missions over "The Hump" to China, since the only way to get supplies to China by ground was cut off by the enemy. The Hump was 16,000 feet high and the weather conditions were very treacherous. During one month, his squadron lost all ten planes making the attempt to fly to China. Hundreds of planes were lost in the jungles on the "aluminum trail." Teams of soldiers had to go into the foothills to gather parts from the downed planes to repair damaged aircraft. The C-46s that were sent from America had riveted gas tanks that often leaked over the airplanes' engines causing explosions that engulfed the entire plane in flight.
During his military career, Chalmer received the Air Medal for extraordinary achievement. The citation marking the Air Medal credited S/Sgt. Kraft with "more than 150 hours of operational flight in transport aircraft over the dangerous and difficult Assam-China air routes where enemy interception and attack was probable and expected." In addition to the Air Medal, Chalmer received the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Good Conduct Medal, the Distinguished Unit Badge, the American Defense Medal and the Asiatic Pacific Service Medal with three Bronze Stars. Chalmer was honorably discharged in 1945 as a Technical Sergeant and began his career as an airplane mechanic at several Air Force Bases including Middletown, until his retirement in 1980.
Chalmer had a pilot's license to fly small planes and enjoyed many years building a two-passenger airplane. He also loved scanning the skies and built a powerful telescope to enable him to study the moon and the stars. He loved to travel and after retirement, he and his late wife, Gertrude, traveled extensively throughout the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska.
Chalmer was an incredibly patient, kind and generous man. His stepson, Don, often said that he could not have had a better father. Although his first love was flying, he built two boats with his son - the first when Don was only 12 years old.
In addition, he was a longtime member of St. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church, Columbia.
Because of the current health crisis, a private funeral will be held at the convenience of the family.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Chalmer's memory may be to the Red Rose Memorial Post 2435 V.F.W, 401 Manor St., Columbia, PA 17512 or the charity of your choice.
