USS Spangler DE 696

USS SPANGLER DE 696

"In this photo, Spangler had just steamed under the Golden Gate Bridge, either late 1952 or early 1952.

The ship at that time was assigned to the Fleet Sonar School in San Diego as a training ship and was equipped with the latest ASW equipment including two complete Sonar Control rooms located port side next to the IC room with the Underwater Battery Plot with the newest Mark five computer system located in the old Sonar Shack which had been enlarged for all the new equipment. The ship as shown had a nineteen depth charge pattern with sixty degree trainable hedgehogs which could be fired either manually or by the MK-5 computer.

The Spangler served in the Pacific during WWII and was operating with the USS England DE 635, USS George DE 697, and USS Raby DE 698 in sinking the Japanese submarine RO-105 in May 1944. The ship was commissioned October 31, 1943, and decommissioned October 8, 1958. Stricken March 1, 1972. Sold November 20, 1972, and broken up for scrap.

I served on the Spangler from February 1949 to October 1952. My rate/rank was SO2 when discharged."

Photo and information courtesy of Robert Ellis