ALVIN R. MUMME

Chief Electrician’s Mate (Permanent Appointment) · Plankowner, USS Silversides (SS-236) · Retired Chief Warrant Officer


Born / Died	5 Aug 1902, Texas / 29 May 1988, San Diego
Service no.	359-39-89 (enlisted); 204065 (officer)
Commissioning rate	CEM (PA) (15 Dec 1941)
Silversides tenure	15 Dec 1941 – 17 Sep 1942
Patrols aboard	2 (9 ships credited, 40,877 t)
Rate on leaving Silversides	Electrician (T)
Final rate	CWO2
Other vessels	Medusa
Service	9 Oct 1925 – c. 1955 (30 years per the obituary); BIRLS omits mid- and late-war service

Prewar (1902–1941)

Alvin Mumme was born on 5 August 1902 in Texas. In 1910 the family lived in Bexar County, where his father Charles (43) was a farmer. Alvin (7) had brothers Hugo (20) and Eddie (15) and sisters Lillie (10), Rubie (5) and Evelyn (2). He enlisted in the Navy on 9 October 1925, at twenty-three. His residence in April 1935 was Honolulu. The 1940 census finds him in San Diego, an electrician in the Navy who earned $2, 100 in 1939, w i t hhi s w i f e M a r y (35) an d an e p h e w, H e n r y R u s h (13), ina$ 26 rental.

On Silversides (Dec 1941 – Sep 1942)

Mumme commissioned aboard *Silversides* on 15 December 1941 as CEM (PA) and made her first two war patrols under C.C. Burlingame. He entered the wardroom after the second patrol, appointed an Electrician (T) with the officer number 204065, and disappears from the enlisted ROCs and musters. The ROC date is 17 September 1942, while the Military Register records 15 August 1942.

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)
Total			9 (40,877 t)	3 (15,850 t)

¹ Tonnage as credited in endorsements. Patrol 1 includes a submarine credit that was likely a log or other debris.

Later War (1943–1945)

He was detached from USS Medusa on 27 March 1944 as a Chief Electrician, listed with two lieutenants (junior grade) and a lieutenant commander and without a destination, which puts him in a repair ship. He later reached CWO2.

Postwar (1945–1988)

The 1950 census finds him in San Diego, an electrician who called himself a private worker, with his wife Mary. He reported $3, 400 in w a g es f or 29 w ee k s in 1949 an d an o t h er$ 2,700 as veterans’ pension or other income, and he checked World War II veteran. He retired as a Chief Warrant Officer after thirty years in the Navy and died at home in Allied Gardens on 29 May 1988. His obituary in the San Diego Evening Tribune of 2 June says he was a native of Texas and a resident of the county for sixty-eight years, with services at Greenwood Mortuary and entombment in Greenwood Mausoleum. His wife Gwendolyn, three daughters and two sisters survived him.

Research Notes

Appointment date: the ROC (17 Sep 1942) and the Military Register (15 Aug 1942) differ. A 15 Aug date would fall during patrol 2. verify
BIRLS: the discharge of 28 Apr 1942 precedes his enlisted service ending on 17 Sep 1942. verify
1940 census: the first transcription was transposed to the neighbors’ household (Frank M. Fabian, Sophia and Tanya). The corrected household is Alvin (37), Mary (35) and Henry Rush (13).
1950 census: Mary’s age is given as 56, but 1940 implies 45 or 46. Check the 1930 census and a marriage record. The $2,700 may be Navy retired pay (inference only).
Open: OMPF, what Medusa and later billets were.
Source notes (carried over, verbatim):

Alvin enters the Wardroom after the 2nd War Patrol and disappears from the enlisted musters. OMPF will be required to discover his service history. Actual date as recorded in Military Register is 15AUG42.
1910 Census Bexar, TX. Charles Mumme (43) and Christina (41). Hugo (20), Eddie (15), Lillie (10), Alvin (7), Rubie (5) and Evelyn (2). Charles was a farmer.
1940 Census Alvin Mumme ~~(34) and Sophia (33). One daughter Tanya (1). Living in a $19 r e a r r e n t a l . T r an scr ib er er r or . A l v in (37) an d M a r y (35) . O n e N e p h e w i s p r ese n t, H e n r y R u s h (13) .$ 26 dollar rental. Electrician/US Navy. Made $2100 in 1939. R es i d e n ce A p r i l 11935 w a sH o n o l u l u, H a w aii . * * 1950 C e n s u s * * S an D i e g o, C A . A l v in R M u mm e (47), b or n T e x a s . O cc u p a t i o n : e l ec t r i c ian, p r i v a t e (se l f - d escr ib e d a s a p r i v a t e w or k er) . W i f e M a r y E M u mm e (56), b or n K e n t u c k y . * * M a r y^{'} s a g e i so f f * * - 1940 g i v es 35, soe x p ec t e d 45/46. A l v ini s a s am pl e l in e :$ 3,400 wages in 1949 for 29 weeks worked; $2, 700 l i s t e d a s v e t er an s^{'} p e n s i o n / o t h er in co m e . W W I I v e t er anan d " A n y o t h er t im e in c l u d in g p r ese n t ser v i ce " b o t h c h ec k e d . M a r r i e d o n ce; ma r r i e d t o M a r y 25 y e a r s (1925, s am ey e a r a s B I R L S e n l i s t m e n t 9 O c t 25) . * * O p e n : * * v er i f y M a r y^{'} s a g e a g ain s tt h e 1930 ce n s u s an d ama r r ia g er ecor d . T h e$ 2,700 is large for a VA benefit and may be Navy retired pay (inference only, check OMPF / retired lists).

Research Notes
1940 Census transcription was transposed. While working left to right I came back to verify and grabbed the wrong age, the wrong wife and child. All of them came from the next household on the block, their neighbors. Frank M Fabian and his wife Sophia and their daughter Tanya lived in the apartment behind Alvin and Mary.
Detached from USS MEDUSA on 27MAR44. No destination. Officer number 204065. Ch.Elec., USN. Listed alongside 2 LT(jg) and One Lt-Cdr. Puts him in a repair ship at some point. I wonder if that continued. CWO2.

Sources: 1910, 1940 and 1950 census; BIRLS; Military Register; Silversides ROC and muster; Evening Tribune (San Diego), 2 Jun 1988.

Explorer

MUMME, Alvin R.

ALVIN R. MUMME

Prewar (1902–1941)

On Silversides (Dec 1941 – Sep 1942)

Later War (1943–1945)

Postwar (1945–1988)

Research Notes

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