HOWARD W. CALVER
Electrician’s Mate Third Class · Plankowner, USS Silversides (SS-236)
Calver front left
| Born / Died | 28 Feb 1921, Lowville, NY / 8 May 2010 |
| Service no. | 238-66-06 |
| Commissioning rate | EM3c (15 Dec 1941) |
| Silversides tenure | 15 Dec 1941 – 23 Nov 1943 |
| Patrols aboard | 7 (17 ships credited, 95,462 t)² |
| Other vessels | Sturgeon (SS-187), Besugo (SS-321, plankowner) |
| Service | BIRLS: 30 Nov 1944 – 10 Jun 1960 (omits his enlisted service) |
Prewar (1921–1941)
Howard Calver was born in Lowville, New York, on 28 February 1921, the son of Lyle A. and Elsie Calver. In 1930 the family rented a home in Lowville village for 1,400 home. Lyle had earned $1,664 in 1939, Theodore had three years of college, and Howard, 19, a high-school graduate, was listed as a new worker.
The musters place him in Sturgeon (SS-187) from 1940 until 21 August 1941, when he transferred to the flag allowance of CSD 22 aboard Snapper.
On Silversides (Dec 1941 – Nov 1943)
Calver commissioned aboard *Silversides* on 15 December 1941 as EM3c and made her first seven war patrols, the first five under C.C. Burlingame and the next two under J.S. Coye Jr. On 23 November 1943 he left for COMSUBDIV 102 for duty.
| Patrol | Dates | CO | Credited sunk | Credited damaged |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 Apr – 21 Jun 1942 | Burlingame | 5 (25,627 t)¹ | 1 (10,100 t) |
| 2 | 15 Jul – 8 Sep 1942 | Burlingame | 4 (15,250 t) | 2 (5,750 t) |
| 3 | 2 Oct – 25 Nov 1942 | Burlingame | 2 (12,500 t)² | 0 |
| 4 | 17 Dec 1942 – 31 Jan 1943 | Burlingame | 1 (10,010 t) | 3 (14,360 t) |
| 5 | 17 May – 1 Jul 1943 | Burlingame | 1 (10,000 t) | 0 |
| 6 | 21 Jul – 12 Sep 1943 | Coye | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | 5 Oct – 8 Nov 1943 | Coye | 4 (22,075 t) | 1 (5,000 t) |
| Total | 17 (95,462 t) | 7 (35,210 t) |
¹ Tonnage as credited in endorsements. Patrol 1 includes a submarine credit that was likely a log or other debris.
² Patrol 3 figures come from the ship’s history, not a patrol report. The total therefore mixes bases.
Later War (1943–1945)
He was a plankowner of the new boat Besugo (SS-321) and held the rate of EM1c at her commissioning. BIRLS leaves out his enlisted service and records only 30 November 1944 to 10 June 1960.
Postwar (1945–2010)
The 1950 census finds him in New London, Connecticut, listed in the Armed Forces, with his wife Reba (28), their children William Howard (5) and Carol Ann (2), and an infant son, Andrew. BIRLS gives his discharge as 10 June 1960. He died on 8 May 2010, aged 89, at the Bridges of Bent Creek in Mechanicsburg. His obituary names him a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus, American Legion Post 109, Catholic War Veterans Post 1738, West Shore Elks Lodge 2257, the Fleet Reserve Association and the Sub Vets of WWII. He was the widower of Reba and was preceded in death by his brother Theodore.
Research Notes
-
Enlistment: the April 1940 census has him at home in Lowville as a new worker, so his enlistment falls after that and before the Sturgeon musters. The date is not yet recorded.
-
BIRLS: the 30 Nov 1944 start is probably a commission date (likely CWO), not his enlistment.
verify -
Gap: 23 Nov 1943 to Besugo’s commissioning is not yet bridged.
-
Photo: the file name pairs Calver with a Duncan, probably Theodore Duncan.
verify -
Obituary: Mechanicsburg is given without a state. The 1950 census lists his mother as Elsie L.; the obituary has Elsie J. (Debyah).
-
Patrol 3:
secondary_source(ship’s history, not located on Fold3). -
Source notes (carried over, verbatim):
Calver front left
1930 Census Lyle A Calver (30) and Elsie L (30). Theodore F (10), Howard W. (9), Berdina (7), and Donald R (3). Living in a 20 dollar rental in Lowville Village, NY. Lyle was a printer at the newspaper.
1940 Census Lyle Calver (40) and Elise (40). Theodore (20) 3 years college, Howard (19) HS Grad, Berdina (17) and Donald (13). Lyle still a printer at the newspaper. Made 1400 home.
1950 Census Howard W. Calver (29) and Reba A. (28). William Howard (5), Carol Ann (2), and Andrew A. (May). Howard is in the Armed Forces.Plankowner of the USS Besugo (SS-321). EM1c(SS) upon commissioning.
Present on Sturgeon throughout 1940 and till August 21 1941 when he was transferred to the Snapper CSD 22 Flag Allowance.
Sources: 1930, 1940 and 1950 census; Silversides muster and ROC; Silversides patrol indexes 1–7; Find a Grave obituary transcription.