Steve, The only other thoughts I can add is that during WW2 it was very important that American People were made to feel we as a country were doing something about the enemies "Wolf Packs." Thus the designation SS would become a very important tile give to those who served on our Nations Submarines.
So the grave marker may reflect the proper designation used during the WW2 period. Again this is just speculation on my part.
"So, I gather then that SSML2 is a combination of OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY and RATE (rank?)."
Sort of. The occupational specialty would be Molder as that was the job he performed. The rank is the 2 or second class Petty Officer, now more commonly know as an E-5. The SS denotes he was qualified to serve on Submarines.
The SS: Use of Submarine Designations
a. Submarine designations ?SS? or ?SU? shall be placed in parenthesis immediately after the member?s rate or rating abbreviation, e.g., MM2(SS), SA(SU). All service record pages and all correspondence pertaining to the member thereafter, until such time as the submarine designator may be revoked, shall include the appropriate designation. In addition, the outside of the enlisted service jacket shall be stamped ?Qualified in Submarines (SS, SG, or SQ)? as appropriate.
SS: denotes Submarines powered by diesel fuel.
SSN: Nuke powered
SSBN: Subs that carry Ballistic Missiles
It's a bit confuseing, I wish I could explain myself better.
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"I fly this plane for my country, when it stops flying it's not my fault, it's the countrys." CDR Fred "Bear" Vogt. The Last Skipper of VF-33's, F-4's.
A veteran - whether active duty, retired, national guard or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America", for an amount of "up to and including my life." That is honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it. -- Author Unknown
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