Robert Russell Williams, Jr., USN

Born  27 Jun 1911Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York, USA
Died  19 Aug 1993(82)Bethesda, Montgomery County, Maryland, USA

Ranks

31 May 1934 Ens.
31 May 1937 Lt.(jg)
1 Jul 1941 Lt.
1 Mar 1943 T/Lt.Cdr.
1 Feb 1944 T/Cdr.

Retired: 1960


Decorations

Fall 1944 Silver Star

Warship Commands listed for Robert Russell Williams, USN


ShipRankTypeFromTo
USS R-9 (86)Lt.Submarine14 May 19422 Nov 1943
USS Finback (230)T/Cdr.Submarine2 Aug 19441 May 1945

Career information

Robert Russell Williams, Jr. was born 27 Jun 1911 in Syracuse, New York, graduated from U.S. Naval Academy in 1934, retired with the rank of Captain in 1960, and died 19 Aug 1993 in Bethesda, Maryland.

He served as CO of USS R-9 in the Atlantic as a Lieutenant and Lieutenant Commander from 14 May 1942 to 2 Nov 1943 for her 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th war patrols. He served in Finback as CO from 2 Aug 1944 to 14 Aug 1945 for her 10th, 11th, and 12th war patrols and was awarded the Silver Star for service from16 Aug 1944 to 4 Oct 1944. His rank in Finback was Lieutenant Commander and Commander. He also commanded USS Rainier (AE-5) from Aug 1953 to Jul 1954.

Events related to this officer

Submarine USS R-9 (86)


1 Oct 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS R-9 departed Bermuda for New London, Connecticut.

10 Oct 1942 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS R-9 arrived at New London, Connecticut from Bermuda.

20 Apr 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS R-9 departed New London, Connecticut for Bermuda.

13 Oct 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS R-9 departed Bermuda for New London, Connecticut.

17 Oct 1943 (position 0.00, 0.00)
USS R-9 arrived at New London, Connecticut from Bermuda.


Submarine USS Finback (230)


16 Aug 1944
USS Finback (Lt.Cdr. R.R. Williams, Jr.) departed from Majuro for her 10th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol of the Bonin Islands.

2 Sep 1944
While lifeguarding for an airstrike on Chichi Jima, USS Finback (Lt.Cdr. R.R. Williams, Jr.) rescues Lieutenant (jg) George H.W. Bush, USNR, of VT-51. Bush will eventually become the 41st President of the United States.

11 Sep 1944 (position 27.45, 140.40)
USS Finback (Lt.Cdr. R.R. Williams, Jr.) torpedoed and sank the Japanese army cargo ship Hassho Maru (536 GRT) and the Japanese merchant cargo ship Hakuun Maru No.2 (866 GRT) north of Chichi Jima in position 27°45'N, 140°40'E.

4 Oct 1944
USS Finback (Lt.Cdr. R.R. Williams, Jr.) ended her 10th war patrol at Pearl Harbor.

16 Dec 1944 (position 27.24, 141.04)
USS Finback (Lt.Cdr. R.R. Williams, Jr.) torpedoed and sank the Japanese troop transport Jusan Maru (2111 GRT) some 50 miles northwest of Chichi Jima in position 27°24'N, 141°04'E.

24 Dec 1944
USS Finback (Lt.Cdr. R.R. Williams, Jr.) ended her 11th war patrol at Midway.

20 Jan 1945
USS Finback (Lt.Cdr. R.R. Williams, Jr.) departed from Midway for her 12th war patrol. She was ordered to patrol in the East China Sea.

25 Mar 1945
USS Finback (Lt.Cdr. R.R. Williams, Jr.) ended her 12th war patrol at Pearl Harbor. She now underwent a major overhaul at that base and was still in dockyard hands when the war ended.


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