View source for USS Spence

{{Short description|Fletcher-class destroyer}}
{{Use American English|date=October 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
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|Ship image=[[File:USS Spence (DD-512) off Boston, Massachusetts (USA), on 25 March 1943 (BS 42093).jpg|300px|USS ''Spence'']]
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag={{USN flag|1944}}
|Ship name=
|Ship namesake=Daniel Spence
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=[[Bath Iron Works]]
|Ship laid down=18 May 1942
|Ship launched=27 October 1942
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=8 January 1943
|Ship decommissioned=
|Ship in service=
|Ship out of service=
|Ship struck=19 January 1945
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|Ship honours=
|Ship fate=Foundered in [[Typhoon Cobra]], 18 December 1944
|Ship notes=
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Ship class={{sclass|Fletcher|destroyer}}
|Ship displacement=2,050&nbsp;tons
|Ship length=376&nbsp;ft 6&nbsp;in (114.7&nbsp;m)
|Ship beam=39&nbsp;ft 8&nbsp;in (12.1&nbsp;m)
|Ship draught=
|Ship draft=17&nbsp;ft 9&nbsp;in (5.4&nbsp;m)
|Ship propulsion=60,000&nbsp;shp (45&nbsp;MW); 2 propellers
|Ship speed={{convert|35|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range=6500 [[nautical mile|nmi.]] (12,000&nbsp;km) at 15&nbsp;kt
|Ship complement=336
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament= {{Fletcher class destroyer armament}}
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'''USS ''Spence'' (DD-512)''', a {{sclass|Fletcher|destroyer}}, was laid down on 18 May 1942 by the [[Bath Iron Works]], [[Bath, Maine]]; [[Ship naming and launching|launched]] on 27 October 1942; sponsored by Mrs. Eben Learned; and commissioned on 8 January 1943. The ship was named for Robert T. Spence, superintendent of the construction of [[USS Ontario (1813)|USS ''Ontario'']] (1813), and captain of [[HMS Cyane (1806)|USS ''Cyane'']] (1815).

''Spence'' conducted her [[shakedown cruise]] out of [[Guantanamo Bay Naval Base|Guantanamo Bay]] from 8 to 28 February. She then served as an escort in the Atlantic and Caribbean and had convoy duty in the [[Casablanca]] area in April. She was routed to the west coast and, on 25 July, got underway from San Francisco for [[Pearl Harbor]], to serve in the Pacific against the [[Japanese Imperial Navy|Japanese]] in [[World War II]].

==History==
''Spence'' sailed on 25 August as a unit of Task Group (TG) 1.2 consisting of the light carriers {{USS|Princeton|CVL-23|6}} and {{USS|Belleau Wood|CVL-24|6}} to support troops who took possession of [[Baker Island]] on 1 September. On 13 September, she proceeded to [[Efate]] and arrived at [[Havannah Harbor]] on 18 September.

''Spence'' was attached to Destroyer Division (DesDiv) 46 of [[Destroyer Squadron 23|Destroyer Squadron (DesRon) 23]]. The squadron sailed on 22 September for [[Tulagi]], [[Solomon Islands]]. On the 28th, she set a surface craft on fire with her main batteries near [[Kolombangara]] and then patrolled between that island and [[Vella Lavella]]. On the night of 1 and 2 October, Spence was with a force off Vella Lavella to interdict Japanese shipping and helped to destroy 20 Japanese barges. The DD then made two escort runs from Tulagi to [[Purvis Bay]] during the first part of the month and ended October supporting [[Battle of the Treasury Islands|landings on the Treasury Islands]].

Capt. [[Arleigh A. Burke]] assumed command of DesRon 23 on 23 October, and the squadron became known as the "Little Beavers." On 1 November, ''Spence'' participated in the bombardment of [[Buka Airport|Buka]] and [[Bonis Airfield|Bonis]] airfields and of Japanese positions in the [[Shortland Islands]] to support the [[Landings at Cape Torokina]], [[Bougainville Island|Bougainville]].

===Battle of Empress Augusta Bay===
In the early hours of 2 November, Task Force 39 [[Battle of Empress Augusta Bay|intercepted an enemy force]] consisting of two heavy cruisers ([[Japanese cruiser Haguro|Haguro]] and [[Japanese cruiser Myōkō|Myōkō]]), two light cruisers ([[Japanese cruiser Agano|Agano]] and [[Japanese cruiser Sendai|''Sendai'']]) with six destroyers steaming towards [[Empress Augusta Bay]]. At 02:31, ''Spence'' made radar contact at {{convert|16|mi|km|0}}. While closing the range from her target, ''Spence'' was hit by a 6-inch (152&nbsp;mm) shell which hit below the water line. This had to have been fired from ''Agano'', as she was the only Japanese warship present armed with 6-inch (152&nbsp;mm) guns. However, the shell did not explode and only caused minor flooding. ''Spence'' charged on despite the damage.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Spence (DD-512) |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/s/spence.html |access-date=2024-05-09 |website=NHHC |language=en-US}}</ref>

The destroyer fired a spread of torpedoes at a ship {{convert|3000|yd|m|-3}} away and was rewarded with black smoke pouring from the target. As ''Spence'' retired to rendezvous with DesDiv&nbsp;45, she spotted another Japanese force {{convert|4000|yd|m|-3}} away. She opened fire, was "on target," and watched one ship stop dead in the water and burn fiercely. Since ''Spence'' was low on ammunition, she called upon DesDiv&nbsp;45 to pour shells into the ill-fated destroyer [[Japanese destroyer Hatsukaze|''Hatsukaze'']] which sank stern first. ''Sendai'' was also sunk in the engagement by combined US cruiser gunfire.

When daybreak came, so did between 70 and 80 enemy aircraft. But the Japanese lost over 20 planes while scoring only two hits on {{USS|Montpelier|CL-57|6}}.

''Spence'' retired to Purvis Bay on 3 November. The next day, she called at Tulagi and sailed with {{USS|Nashville|CL-43|6}} for [[Kula Gulf]]. On the afternoon of the 5th, she was operating northwest of the Treasury Islands when she was attacked by enemy aircraft. One plane dropped three bombs, but the closest fell {{convert|75|yd|m|0}} off ''Spence''{{'}}s starboard beam.

===Battle of Cape St. George===
For the next three weeks, ''Spence'' performed patrol and escort duty in the Port Purvis-Kula Gulf area. On 24 November, the squadron was refueling in Hathorn Sound when ordered northwest of Buka Island to [[Battle of Cape St. George|intercept Japanese shipping]] which American intelligence had learned would attempt to evacuate aviation personnel from the Buka-Bonis airfields. Early the next morning, the "Little Beavers" were patrolling the Buka-Rabaul route. At 01:42, in St. George Channel, Spence made surface radar contacts at {{convert|22000|yd|m|-3}}. The range closed rapidly, and, at 01:56, DesDiv&nbsp;45 fired torpedoes at two Japanese ships and scored several hits. Several minutes later, American radar picked up a second group of three enemy ships. ''Spence'' and {{USS|Converse|DD-509|6}} were ordered to finish off the first group while DesDiv&nbsp;45 bombarded the second group.

In the first group, [[Japanese destroyer Ōnami (1942)|''Onami'']] exploded and sank immediately while [[Japanese destroyer Makinami (1941)|''Makinami'']] was badly damaged. ''Spence'' and ''Converse'' opened on her with their main batteries and she sank at 02:53. In the second group, DesDiv&nbsp;45 sank [[Japanese destroyer Yūgiri (1930)|''Yugiri'']]. Three of five Japanese destroyers were sunk with no damage to DesRon 23. The squadron returned to Purvis Bay on 31 October.

===1944===
''Spence'' operated out of Purvis Bay until late January 1944 when she patrolled near [[Nissan Island|Green Island]] and Bougainville Strait. On 5 February, she participated in the bombardment of supply and bivouac areas at Hahela Plantation on the southeast coast of Buka Island. The next day, she sank an enemy barge with shellfire near Green Island. On the night of 9 and 10 February, Spence helped to shell Tiaraka and Teopasino, Bougainville, [[Kavieng]] and [[Cape St. George]], [[New Ireland (island)|New Ireland]].  On the 18th, she made a sweep of shipping lanes between Kavieng and [[Chuuk Lagoon|Truk]]. The American warships encountered no ships so they returned to Kavieng and shelled it again on the 22nd. On that day, Spence and DesDiv&nbsp;45 sank a Japanese merchantman of about 5,000&nbsp;tons with shellfire.

''Spence'' operated with TF&nbsp;39 from 1 to 24 March to support the [[Landing on Emirau|landings on Emirau Island]]. On the 27th she sortied from Purvis Bay with TF&nbsp;58 for strikes against [[Palau]], [[Yap]], [[Ulithi]] and [[Woleai]], [[Caroline Islands]]. From 13 to 25 April, Spence screened the fast carriers as they struck targets on New Guinea in support of the [[Landing at Aitape]], Tanahmerah Bay, and at [[Battle of Hollandia|Humboldt Bay]], New Guinea. On the 29th and 30th, the carriers struck enemy shipping and installations at Truk, the powerful Japanese naval base in the Caroline Islands. The destroyer returned to Majuro for a period of upkeep from 4 May to 5 June.

''Spence'' sortied with TG&nbsp;58.4, the fast carriers, on 6 June, to attack the [[Mariana Islands]]. As aircraft struck the islands, the destroyer moved in and bombarded Japanese positions on [[Guam]] and [[Saipan]]. The planes attacked [[Iwo Jima]] on the 16th and then returned to shell the Marianas. Spence participated in the "Marianas Turkey Shoot" during the [[Battle of the Philippine Sea]] on 19 and 20 June. On 23 and 24 June, aircraft bombed targets on Guam, Saipan and [[Tinian]]. The destroyer conducted shore bombardment against [[Rota (island)|Rota]], Saipan and Guam from 26 June through the end of the month setting fuel tanks afire and sinking two sampans on the 27th. ''Spence'' replenished at [[Eniwetok]] in July and, on 4 August, sailed for the California coast via Pearl Harbor and arrived at San Francisco on 18 August. She was drydocked all of September and, on 5 October, sailed for Pearl Harbor and the Marshalls. She arrived at Eniwetok on 31 October and was ordered to Ulithi in early November, where she was assigned to TG&nbsp;38.1, the Support Unit for the fast carriers of TF&nbsp;38. She screened the carriers in Philippine waters as they launched attacks against [[Luzon]] during November and the first part of December.

===Loss===
On 17 December, ''Spence'' prepared to refuel and pumped out all of the salt water ballast from her tanks; but rough seas caused the fueling operation to be cancelled. The next day, the weather worsened and the storm turned into a [[Typhoon Cobra|major typhoon]]. As the ships wallowed in canyon-like troughs of brine, ''Spence''{{'}}s electrical equipment got wet from great quantities of sea water taken on board. After a 72-degree roll to port, all of the lights went out and the pumps stopped. The rudder jammed; and, after a deep roll to port about 11:00, ''Spence'' capsized and sank. Only 24 of her complement survived. {{USS|Hull|DD-350|6}} and {{USS|Monaghan|DD-354|6}} were also sunk in the typhoon. ''Spence'' was struck from the Navy list on 19 January 1945.

==Honors==
''Spence'' received eight [[battle stars]] for World War II service.

==See also==
*[[Typhoon Cobra]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/s/spence.html}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|USS Spence (DD-512)}}
*[http://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/ussspence/ USS ''Spence'' website] at [http://destroyerhistory.org/ Destroyer History Foundation]
*[http://www.navsource.org/archives/05/512.htm NavSource.org - DD-512]

{{Fletcher class destroyer}}
{{December 1944 shipwrecks}}
{{coord missing|Pacific Ocean}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spence}}
[[Category:World War II destroyers of the United States|Spence (DD-512)]]
[[Category:Ships built in Bath, Maine]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Philippine Sea]]
[[Category:1942 ships]]
[[Category:Fletcher-class destroyers of the United States Navy|Spence (DD-512)]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in December 1944]]