Well, folks, it appears that QM Steve has solved the mystery!
LOL!
SSML is an obsolete classification of the WW2 era.
I confirmed his findings on a website I visited called
www.bluejacket.com
Site seems to have a wealth of info on things Navy.
The GENERAL classification was "SH" for "Ship's Serviceman" and had the sub-classifications
SSMB - Ship's Serviceman Barber
SSMC - Ship's Serviceman Cobbler
SSML - Ship's Serviceman Laundry
SSMT - Ship's Serviceman Tailor
The "2" at the end has correctly been identified as the rank, and sometimes the classification was written as SSML2/c or SSML/2c.
A sailor with this classification would have been a supervisor of laundry services.
Perhaps not as illustrious as submarine services, but NO LESS HONORABLE in my eyes.
My uncle served his country in the great WW2 in the finest Navy in the world.
If he was on a ship in a combat zone then he had a battle station somewhere on the ship and actively battled the enemy.
He would have had enemy planes or shells coming down on him just like everyone else on board.
I'm very proud of him, and I'd like to thank you all for your contributions to this thread.
Steve / 82Rigger