ROBERT RAYMOND DANKO
Quartermaster First Class · Plankowner, USS Silversides (SS-236) · Lost with USS Golet (SS-361), 14 Jun 1944
Robert Danko is on the right and Walter J. Czerwinski is on the left.
| Born / Died | 10 Sep 1921, Youngstown, OH / 14 Jun 1944, lost with Golet |
| Service no. | 300-07-84 |
| Commissioning rate | S1c (15 Dec 1941) |
| Silversides tenure | 15 Dec 1941 – 15 Jul 1943 |
| Patrols aboard | 5 (13 ships credited, 73,387 t)² |
| Final rate | QM1c |
| Other vessels | Sturgeon (SS-187), Golet (SS-361, plankowner) |
Prewar (1921–1941)
Robert Danko was born in Youngstown, Ohio, on 10 September 1921, and later registered in Chicago. In 1930 the family owned a 30 a month, where Robert (19) drove a truck. He was in the Navy by May 1940. He served in Sturgeon (SS-187), the dates unrecorded.
On Silversides (Dec 1941 – Jul 1943)
Danko commissioned aboard *Silversides* on 15 December 1941 as S1c and made her first five war patrols, all under C.C. Burlingame, the last ending on 1 July 1943. On 15 July 1943, before the sixth patrol sailed, he transferred out. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin of 15 February 1943 lists him among those who took part in the emergency appendectomy performed during the patrol, together with Albert H. Stegall.
| 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 |
| Total | 13 (73,387 t) | 6 (30,210 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 (1943–1944)
He commissioned USS Golet (SS-361) on 30 November 1943 as QM1c and made both of her war patrols.
Death (14 June 1944)
Danko was aboard Golet when she was lost on 14 June 1944. He was twenty-two. His status was recorded as missing on 12 July 1944 and as presumed dead on 18 January 1946.
Research Notes
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Appendectomy: the newspaper date (15 Feb 1943) is two weeks after patrol 4 ended (31 Jan 1943), so patrol 4 is the likely patrol.
verify -
Departure:
departure_datesgives 1943-07-15 (his second slot is empty because he was lost with Golet). Confirm against the exit ROC. -
Sailfish: the De Muth ROC section lists Danko in the 21 Aug 1941 flag-allowance group. His
other_boatsshows only Sturgeon, and Calver was also on Sturgeon per the musters.verify -
Open: OMPF, enlistment date, Sturgeon dates.
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Source notes (carried over, verbatim):
Danko on the right, Czerwinski on the left.
Registered in Chicago but born in Youngstown, OH.
5 Silversides patrols including the patrol with the appendectomy. The Honolulu Star Bulletin dated15FEB43lists Danko as a participant in the operation to remove the appendix.
Danko was present on both Golet war patrols.
1930 Census Andrew Danko (33) and Dora (27). Robert (8) and Wallace (4). Andrew was a lineman for the telephone company. They owned their 30 rental at 3260 Harrison in Chicago IL. Dora was a housekeeper at a hotel and Robert was a truck driver. Enumerated in April Robert was in the Navy by May.
Sources: 1930 and 1940 census; Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 15 Feb 1943; Find a Grave; Silversides and Golet musters and ROCs; Silversides patrol indexes 1–5.