Funeral Set for Capt. Bob Silah, Operation Helping Hand Chairman

TAMPA, FL — Capt. Robert “Bob” J. Silah, U.S. Navy retired, passed away on Monday at the age of 80.

The Fond du Lac, Wisc., native had been a Tampa resident since 1985. A dynamic figure in the Tampa and Carrollwood area communities, Silah is survived by his wife, Kathryn; son, Capt. Michael and wife, Mary Jo; son, Jason and wife, Helve; two grandchildren, Mason and Mackenzie, and sister Betty Kolander.

Silah, a Vietnam veteran, served in the Navy for 27 years. His last assignment was at U.S. Central Command where he served as deputy inspector general with duties in the Middle East and Africa. During the course of his military career, he earned such honors as the Legion of Merit, the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Navy Commendation Medal, among others, according to Blount & Curry Funeral Home.

After his retirement, Silah turned his attention toward the community. He served as the Navy League’s Tampa Council president, was the president of the Carrollwood Kiwanis club and also served as the leader for CABA. In addition, he was president of the Military Officers Association of America for six years before being elected to the organization’s national board.

Silah was also the chairman and a driving force behind the founding of Operation Helping Hand, a nonprofit organization that provides support to injured active duty military members and their families. The group has assisted more than 1,000 combat wounded veterans and family members at Tampa’s James A. Haley Veterans Hospital since its inception in 2004.

Silah sat down with Patch back in 2013 to talk about Operation Helping Hand and his personal motivations for helping get the organization off the ground. Silah said it was his own military experiences that led him to push for the organization’s inception.

“When I came back from Vietnam, the reception was terrible,” he recalled. “You couldn’t leave the ship without civilian clothes.”

He wanted the return home to be different for today’s soldiers. When the idea came up in 2004, he thought it was a good way to make sure that “didn’t happen again.”

Operation Helping Hand’s very first assistance case convinced Silah the need was present – a need that still exists today.

That first case involved a family that was living in a car so members could be there for a wounded soldier hospitalized in Tampa. That case led to hundreds of others with Operation Helping Hand providing family members and soldiers everything from grocery cards to hotel rooms.

Services have been set for Silah as follows:

• Visitation – Blount & Curry Funeral Home, 3207 W. Bearss Ave., Sunday, Aug. 28 from 6 to 8 p.m.
• Funeral – St. Paul Catholic Church, 12708 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Monday, Aug. 29 from 2 to 3 p.m.

For more information about Operation Helping Hand and how to get involved, visit the organization’s website.

Editor’s note: In full disclosure, I had the pleasure of meeting Capt. Silah years ago while serving as editor of the Carrollwood News and worked with him on and off throughout my career. Bob was a true gentleman, an inspiration and a tireless champion for the community. My deepest condolences to the Silah family and all of those fortunate enough to call Capt. Silah a friend.

Photo courtesy of Operation Helping Hand