Burnice Rufus Silcox (1922 - 1945)

Born 27 Apr 1922 in Bratt, Escambia, Florida, United States

Died 30 Jul 1945 at age 23 in Philippine Sea

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Biography

Seaman 1st Class Burnice Silcox served in the United States Navy in World War II
Service started: 21 Feb 1942
Unit(s): USS Indianapolis (CA-35)
Service ended: 30 Jul 1945

Seaman 1st Class Burnice Silcox was Killed in Action during World War II.

Burnice Silcox was awarded the Purple Heart.

Burnice was born in 1922. He was the son of Rumbly David "Rummie" Silcox 1890–1941 and Katie Flowers Silcox Pugh 1896–1982. His siblings in 1930 were:

Robert O Silcox 6

Calvin Silcox 13

Leonard T. Silcox 2

Ruth B. Silcox 11

Burnice enlisted in the naval reserve on 21 Feb 1942, he was stationed on the USS Indianapolis on 13 Apr 1942, where he served as Seaman 1st Class.^[1]

In July 1945 the USS Indianapolis was sent on a secret mission to deliver the components of the Little Boy atomic bomb to Tinian Island without an escort, on the return trip, still without escort, it was attacked by a Japanese submarine. The USS Indianapolis sank in 12 minutes on 30 Jul 1945 with some 300 of the 1,195 crewmen aboard going down with the ship. With few lifeboats and many without life jackets, only 316 of the nearly 900 men set adrift survived the 4 days in shark infested water before rescue. Burnice was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. The crew of the USS Indianapolis was later awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. ^[2][3][4]

Burnice is honored at three memorials: Godwin Cemetery, Bratt, Escambia County, Florida; Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines; and U.S.S. Indianapolis National Memorial, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA.^[5][6][7]

Sources

1. ↑ U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/31629992:1143?tid=&pid=&queryId=960bde06-b178-4ad7-ac40-b63a7ef7a15d&_phsrc=Xsd2&_phstart=successSource
2. ↑ U.S., World War II Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Casualties https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/134312:4283
3. ↑ U.S., Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Unaccounted-for Remains, Group B (Unrecoverable) https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/35759:62207 tid=&pid=&queryId=97e0b291bdb39af0ef0b32c1b4698bdc&_phsrc=EzO7772&_phstart=successSource
4. ↑ U.S., Navy Casualties Books https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/127164:2324
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/68521564/burnice_rufus-silcox: accessed February 23, 2024), memorial page for Burnice Rufus Silcox (27 Apr 1922–30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 68521564, citing Godwin Cemetery, Bratt, Escambia County, Florida, USA
6. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56777591/burnice_rufus-silcox: accessed February 23, 2024), memorial page for S1 Burnice Rufus Silcox (27 Apr 1922–30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56777591, citing Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines
7. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/194043888/burnice_rufus-silcox: accessed February 23, 2024), memorial page for Burnice Rufus Silcox (27 Apr 1922–30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 194043888, citing U.S.S. Indianapolis National Memorial, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA

• "United States Census, 1930", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SRFB-6W2 : Thu Oct 05 23:08:27 UTC 2023), Entry for Rumbly Silcox and Katie V Silcox, 1930
• "Florida State Census, 1945", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNXC-8PF : Thu Oct 05 08:40:18 UTC 2023), Entry for Bernice Silcox, 1945
• U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/12547449:2238?tid=&pid=&queryId=5e0505209936bb97a1667e4454a80dcb&_phsrc=EzO7829&_phstart=successSource
• Burnice is included on the USS Indianapolis in World War II Wikitree Space Page https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:USS_Indianapolis_%28CA-35%29_in_World_War_II