Please Report Any Broken Links Or Trouble You Might Come Across To The Webmaster
Please Take A Moment To Let Us Know So That We Can Correct Any Problems And Make Your Visit As Enjoyable And As Informative As Possible.

Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive

USS Spangler (DE-696)


Flag Hoist / Radio Call Sign:
N - K - Z - E
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row: American Campaign Medal
Second Row: Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 2 stars - WWII Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
Class: Buckley      Type: TE (turbine-electric drive, 3" guns)
Displacement: 1,400 tons (std) 1,740 tons (full)   Dimensions: 306' (oa), 300' (wl) x 36' 9" x 13' 6" (max)
Armament: 3-3"/50 Mk22 (1x3), 1-1.1"/75 Mk2 quad AA (4x1), 8 x 20mm Mk 4 AA, 3 x 21" Mk15 TT (3x1),
1 Hedgehog Projector Mk10 (144 rounds), 8 Mk6 depth charge projectors, 2 Mk9 depth charge tracks
Machinery: 2 "D" Express boilers, G.E. turbines with electric drive, 12000 shp, 2 screws
Speed: 24 knots   Range: 4,940 nm @ 12 knots   Crew: 15 / 198
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Defoe Shipbuilding, Bay City MI on 28 April 1943
Launched 15 July 1943, Commissioned 31 October 1943
Decommissioned 8 October 1958, Stricken 1 March 1972
Fate: Sold for scrapping, 20 November 1972, to Zidell Explorations, Inc. of Portland OR
Click On Image
For Full Size Image		 Size Image Description Contributed
By And/Or Copyright
Spangler 6k Donald Hays Spangler was born in Albion, Ind., on 29 May 1918. He was appointed midshipman at the Naval Academy on 8 July 1938 and commissioned ensign on 19 December 1941. Ensign Spangler reported for duty in USS Atlanta (CL-51) at Boston, Mass., on 3 January 1942. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant (junior grade) to date from 1 October 1942. Lt. (jg.) Spangler was killed in action when Atlanta was heavily damaged during the night action off Savo Island in the Solomons on 13 November 1942.

USS Spangler (DE-696) was the first ship to be named in his honor.

(Photo Courtesy of the US Naval Academy thanks to Nell Horn)		 Bill Gonyo
Spangler 65k 23 August 1947: San Francisco CA - Stern view of USS Spangler (DE-696) at the South end of Mare Island. (US Navy photo #DE-696-1572-47) Darryl Baker
Spangler 97k 23 August 1947: San Francisco CA - Stern view of Spangler at the South end of Mare Island. (US Navy photo #DE-696-1573-47)
Spangler 57k circa 1951: San Francisco CA - steaming under the Golden Gate Bridge, (Photo © Allied Photographers, San Francisco CA) Robert Ellis SO2
Spangler 107k circa 1951: Ship's Portrait Bill Hager
1950 - 1953
Spangler 84k 1952: M Division portrait
Spangler 119k 1953: M Division portrait
Spangler 82k undated, mainmast indicates later date than previous ship's portrait
View the USS Spangler (DE-696), DANFS history entry
located at the US Naval Historical Center web site.
Crew Contact And Reunion Information
Contact Name: David D. Norris
E-mail: David Norris
Note About Contacts

Contact information is compiled from various sources over a period of time and may, or may not, be correct. Every effort has been
made to list the newest contact. However, our entry is only as good as the latest information that's been sent to us. We list only
a contact for the ship if one has been sent to us. We do NOT have crew lists or rosters available. Please see the Frequently Asked
Questions section on Navsource's Main Page for that information.

Additional Resources
Wayne Dorough's USS Spangler Website
Destroyer Escort Sailors Association
To The DE Photo Index Page Back To The Main Photo Index

Comments, Suggestions, or Image Submissions, Please E-mail: DE Info
Problems or Site Related Matters, Please E-mail: Webmaster

This Page Is Created And Maintained by Mike Smolinski
All Pages Copyright © 1996 - 2008 Paul R. Yarnall © 2008 Navsource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
Page Last Updated 1 May 2008