USS Spangler
USS Spangler (DE-696) was a of the United States Navy. Namesake Donald Hays Spangler was born on 29 May 1918 in Albion, Indiana. He was appointed midshipman at the United States Naval Academy on 8 July 1938 and commissioned Ensign on 19 December 1941. He reported for duty on the at Boston, Massachusetts, on 3 January 1942. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant (junior grade) to date from 1 October 1942. He was killed in action when Atlanta was heavily damaged during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands on 13 November 1942. Construction and commissioning Spangler was laid down on 28 April 1943 at the Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Bay City, Michigan. She was launched on 15 July 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Myrtle Spangler; and commissioned on 31 October 1943, with Lieutenant Commander W. A. Burgett in command. Service history World War II, 1943–1945 After shakedown in the vicinity of Bermuda, Spangler joined a convoy on 24 December 1943, and headed for the Pacific via the Panama Canal. She arrived at Bora Bora in the Society Islands, on 20 January 1944. There she received orders to rendezvous with convoy Task Unit 116.15.3 as the flagship of Commander Escort Division 39, and to head for Espiritu Santo New Hebrides Islands. In mid-February, she escorted to Purvis Bay, Florida Island, in the Solomons, and then took up patrol station off Guadalcanal two days later. After escorting to Torokina Point on Bougainville, she rounded out the month patrolling off Blanche Harbor, Treasury Island, and off Purvis Bay. For the next three months, Spangler escorted convoys on shuttle runs between various islands in the South Pacific. During that period, she visited Guadalcanal, Espiritu Santo, New Caledonia, Florida Island, Majuro, Emirau, Rendova, and Manus. In late May, Spangler sailed from Tulagi to the Admiralty Islands with a supply of hedgehog depth charges for her sister destroyer escorts , , and . She rendezvoused with the three ships at Manus on 27 May, delivered her cargo, and the four ships sortied the next day to join a hunter/killer group formed around the escort carrier . The task group was steaming north during the waning hours of 30 May when the destroyer made a sound contact on the . While England and Spangler headed toward the southern end of the scouting line, Raby and George charged to the attack. Both ships attacked the enemy, but with no apparent success. During the night, they lost contact with the submerged enemy. However, after a few hours, the Japanese commanding officer obligingly surfaced between Raby and George, and switched on his searchlights. England and Spangler raced toward the shaft of light which fixed Ro-105s position for them perfectly. By 05:00 on 31 May, they were in contact with Raby and George, and with the Officer in Tactical Command (OTC). At first light, Raby and George each attacked the Japanese submarine in quick succession. When their efforts failed, Spangler joined the fray. She attacked with 24 depth