Robert Turner Thielscher (1920 - 1945)

Born 4 Feb 1920 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States

Died 30 Jul 1945 at age 25 in Philippine Sea

Problems/Questions Profile manager: v. Wilson [send private message]

Biography

Chief Radio Technician Robert Thielscher served in the United States Navy in World War II
Service started: 29 Sep 1941
Unit(s): USS Wright (AV-1), USS Indianapolis (CA-35)
Service ended: 30 Jul 1945

Chief Radio Technician Robert Thielscher was Killed in Action during World War II.

Robert Thielscher was awarded the Purple Heart.

Robert was born in 1920. His parents were Herman and Pauline Thielscher.^[1]

Robert enlisted in the Naval Reserve on 29 Sep 1941. On 28 Apr 1944 he was released from the hospital (unknown injury) and returned to duty as a Chief Radio Technician on the USS Wright (AV-1). On 13 June 1945 he was received on the USS Indianapolis.. ^[2][3][4]

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. Robert was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. The crew of the USS Indianapolis was later awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.^[5][6][7]

Robert is honored at two memorials: USS Indianapolis National Memorial, Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana and Fort William Mckinley, Manila, Philippines. ^[8][9]

Sources

1. ↑ Massachusetts, U.S., Birth Index, 1860-1970 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/3911215:3928?tid=&pid=&queryId=f55066d71bdd74faac88eb619073bfa9&_phsrc=swI3&_phstart=successSource
2. ↑ U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/46378960:1143?tid=&pid=&queryId=f55066d71bdd74faac88eb619073bfa9&_phsrc=rdg2&_phstart=successSource
3. ↑ U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/32069623:1143?tid=&pid=&queryId=f55066d71bdd74faac88eb619073bfa9&_phsrc=ugp1&_phstart=successSource
4. ↑ U.S., World War II Navy Muster Rolls, 1938-1949 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/46379713:1143?tid=&pid=&queryId=f55066d71bdd74faac88eb619073bfa9&_phsrc=ugp2&_phstart=successSource
5. ↑ U.S., Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Unaccounted-for Remains, Group B (Unrecoverable), 1941-1975 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/33201:62207?tid=&pid=&queryId=f55066d71bdd74faac88eb619073bfa9&_phsrc=swI2&_phstart=successSource
6. ↑ U.S., Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/318469:1102?tid=&pid=&queryId=f55066d71bdd74faac88eb619073bfa9&_phsrc=swI5&_phstart=successSource
7. ↑ U.S., World War II Military Personnel Missing In Action or Lost At Sea, 1941-1946 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/75076:1199?tid=&pid=&queryId=f55066d71bdd74faac88eb619073bfa9&_phsrc=ugp4&_phstart=successSource
8. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/194099391/robert-turner-thielscher: accessed 11 March 2023), memorial page for Robert Turner Thielscher (4 Feb 1920–30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 194099391, citing U.S.S. Indianapolis National Memorial, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA; Maintained by Laura J. Stewart (contributor 47412616).
9. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56774195/robert-turner-thielscher: accessed 11 March 2023), memorial page for RTC Robert Turner Thielscher (4 Feb 1920–30 Jul 1945), Find a Grave Memorial ID 56774195, citing Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, Manila, Capital District, National Capital Region, Philippines; Maintained by IrishEyes (contributor 47644540).

• USS Indianapolis (CA-35) in World War II https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:USS_Indianapolis_%28CA-35%29_in_World_War_II
• U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/5742174:2238?tid=&pid=&queryId=f55066d71bdd74faac88eb619073bfa9&_phsrc=swI1&_phstart=successSource
• 1930 United States Federal Census https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/89113326:6224?tid=&pid=&queryId=f55066d71bdd74faac88eb619073bfa9&_phsrc=ugp5&_phstart=successSource
• 1940 United States Federal Census https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/150174436:2442?tid=&pid=&queryId=f55066d71bdd74faac88eb619073bfa9&_phsrc=ugp8&_phstart=successSource