Robert Jay Wilson was born about 1925. His mother's name was Annie. The family also included sons Benjamin, Woodrow and Paul and a daughter Bernice. The year the family moved to the Pajaro Valley is not known, but they lived on Bridge Street in Watsonville during a portion of his school years. Robert attended Watsonville High School for about two years. He left in January 1942 to enlist in the US Navy. Following boot camp at the US Naval Training Center in San Diego, he was assigned to the USS Selfridge and joined its crew about May 1942.

“In May, Selfridge was reassigned to the 3d Fleet. On the 12th, she arrived at Nouméa. Through the summer, she operated with cruisers of TF 36, later TF 37, and participated in exercises with TF's 38, 39 and 34. In late September, as a unit of the 3d Fleet's amphibious force, she escorted an LST convoy to Vella Lavella, then commenced nighttime patrols up "the Slot" to intercept Japanese shipping.

On the night of 6 October, Selfridge, O'Bannon, and Chevalier intercepted an enemy force of six destroyers, three destroyer transports, and smaller armed craft some 12 miles off Marquana Bay as it attempted to evacuate land forces from Vella Lavella. In the ensuing Battle of Vella Lavella, Chevalier was torpedoed and damaged beyond repair. She was sunk on the 7th by an American torpedo. Selfridge and O'Bannon were both heavily damaged; Selfridge by an enemy torpedo; O'Bannon by enemy action compounded by collision with Chevalier just after the latter had gone dead in the water.

Personnel casualties on board Selfridge amounted to 13 killed, 11 wounded, and 36 missing.”

Seaman Second Class Robert J. Wilson was listed among those killed; however, his body was never recovered. He is included on the Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery. His awards include the Purple Heart.

(ABMC; WRP October 15, 1943 1:1, November 24, 1943 1:1; DANFS, USS Selfridge DD-357)