ROBERT F. MESSLEY
Fireman First Class · Plankowner, USS Silversides (SS-236)
| Born / Died | 3 Oct 1916 / 16 Feb 1984 |
| Service no. | 336-95-05 |
| Commissioning rate | F1c (15 Dec 1941) |
| Silversides tenure | 15 Dec 1941 – 8 Dec 1944 |
| Patrols aboard | 11 (27 ships credited, 145,062 t)² |
| Rate on leaving Silversides | CMoMM(AA) |
| Service | 22 Dec 1936 – 5 Aug 1947 (BIRLS) |
Prewar (1916–1941)
Robert Messley was born on 3 October 1916. In 1930 the family lived in an owned $1,200 home in Springfield, Missouri. His father John (54) was a carpenter, and Robert, thirteen, was one of seven children. He enlisted in the Navy on 22 December 1936, at twenty.
On Silversides (Dec 1941 – Dec 1944)
Messley commissioned aboard *Silversides* on 15 December 1941 as F1c and made her first eleven war patrols, the first five under C.C. Burlingame and the rest under J.S. Coye Jr. He left on 8 December 1944 as CMoMM(AA), and Thomas E. Parson was advanced to Chief Motor Machinist the same day to replace him.
| 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) |
| 8 | 4 Dec 1943 – 15 Jan 1944 | Coye | 3 (18,500 t) | 2 (8,000 t) |
| 9 | 15 Feb – 6 Apr 1944 | Coye | 2 (7,500 t) | 0 |
| 10 | 26 Apr – 11 Jun 1944 | Coye | 5 (23,600 t) | 3 (18,000 t) |
| 11 | 24 Sep – 23 Nov 1944 | Coye | 0 | 1 (200 t) |
| Total | 27 (145,062 t) | 13 (61,410 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 (1944–1945)
His service after leaving Silversides is not recorded in his file.
Postwar (1945–1984)
BIRLS gives his discharge as 5 August 1947. The 1950 census finds him in North Campbell, Missouri, at 319 Homewood, with his wife Mildred (28) and daughter Donna Lynn (3); no occupation is listed. He died on 16 February 1984. His obituary in the Springfield News-Leader of 17 February called him a Navy veteran of World War II who served in the South Pacific and worked with the US Postal Service in New Haven.
Research Notes
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Surname: Messley, per the commissioning document, the census, Find a Grave and the obituary. The frontmatter
nameand the note title still read Messeley. -
Obituary: “New Haven” is given without a state.
-
Open: destination after 8 Dec 1944.
-
Patrol 3:
secondary_source(ship’s history, not located on Fold3). -
Source notes (carried over, verbatim):
Replaced as Chief Motor Machinist by Thomas Parson who was advanced to CMoMM on the same date as Robert departed.
1930 Census Springfield, MO. John Messley (54) and Lona N (37). Marguerite (17), Earl B (15), Robert F (13), Leonard C (11), Wilbert E (9), Lola M (5), John H Jr (2). John Sr was a carpenter. They owned their $1200 home.
1950 Census North Campbell, MO. Robert Messley (33) and Mildred (28). One daughter Donna Lynn (3). No occupation listed. Living at 319 Homewood.
“A Navy veteran of World War II, Mr. Messley served in the South Pacific. He worked with the US Postal Service in New Haven.”
Sources: 1930 and 1950 census; BIRLS; Springfield News-Leader, 17 Feb 1984; Silversides muster and ROC; Silversides patrol indexes 1–11.