Navy career

Silverstein was appointed midshipman

Midshipman

A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...

 at the U.S. Naval Academy

United States Naval Academy

The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...

 on June 18, 1928. He was commissioned ensign

Ensign (rank)

Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....

 on June 2, 1932 and went to sea in on the 26th as an aircraft gunnery observer.

He was promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade) on June 2, 1935 and subsequently served in Chaumont (AP-45), , and Seattle (CA-11). After being promoted to lieutenant

Lieutenant

A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...

 on March 13, 1940, later changed to date from August 1, 1939, Lt. Silverstein reported for duty as Engineer and Damage Control

Damage control

Damage control is a term used in the Merchant Marine, maritime industry and navies for the emergency control of situations that may hazard the sinking of a ship...

 Officer in .

Awarded the Silver Cross

On May 7, 1942, during the Battle of the Coral Sea

Battle of the Coral Sea

The Battle of the Coral Sea, fought from 4–8 May 1942, was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval and air forces from the United States and Australia. The battle was the first fleet action in which aircraft carriers engaged...

, Sims came under aerial attack. Though knocked unconscious by the first bomb, Lt. Silverstein quickly recovered and “coolly directed the securing of the boilers, the jettisoning of topside weights to preserve stability and the preparations for repairs to save the vessel from sinking.” Lt. Silverstein died soon thereafter when Sims sank. For “his relentless determination and inspiring heroism . . . ,” Lt. Silverstein was posthumously awarded the Silver Star

Silver Star

The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....

 medal.

Namesake

Silverstein

USS Silverstein (DE-534)

USS Silverstein was a acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II. The primary purpose of the destroyer escort was to escort and protect ships in convoy, in addition to other tasks as assigned, such as patrol or radar picket....

 (DE-534) was laid down on October 8, 1943 at the Boston Navy Yard

Boston Navy Yard

The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...

, Boston, Massachusetts; launched on November 8, 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Ruth B. Silverstein; and commissioned on July 14, 1944, Lt. Comdr. F.A. Reece, Jr., USNR

United States Navy Reserve

The United States Navy Reserve, until 2005 known as the United States Naval Reserve, is the Reserve Component of the United States Navy...

, in command.