×
Home Intro People Events Equipment Places Maps Books Photos Videos Other Reference FAQ About
     

World War II Database

Spencer file photo [7496]

Spencer

CountryUnited States
Ship ClassTreasury-class USCG Cutter
BuilderNew York Navy Yard
Laid Down11 Sep 1935
Launched6 Jan 1937
Commissioned1 Mar 1937
Decommissioned23 Jan 1974
Displacement2,750 tons full
Length327 feet
Beam41 feet
Draft12 feet
MachineryTwo Westinghouse double-reduction geared turbines; two Babcock and Wilcox sectional express, air-enclosed, 400psi, 200° superheat; two 9ft three-bladed propellers
Power Output6,200 shaft horsepower
Speed24 knots
Range8,000nm at 12 knots
Crew252
Armament1941: 3x5in/51, 3x3in/50, 4x.50 cal Browning MGs; 1943: 2x5in/51, 4x3in/50, 2x20mm/80, 1x Hedgehog, 6x K-gun depth charge projectors, 2x depth charge racks; 1945: 2x5in/38, 2x3x40mm/60, 4x20mm/80

Contributor:

ww2dbaseThe seven United States Coast Guard Treasury-class cutters were named for Secretaries of the Treasury, and so they are sometimes called Secretary-class or 327-foot class. This method for naming a class of ships differs from the custom in most navies of naming a class after the lead ship.

ww2dbaseThe Treasury-class design was based on the Navy Erie-class gunboats with identical machinery plants and hulls below the waterline.  This standardization was economical and the cutters were built in U.S. Navy shipbuilding yards. These cutters were highly dependable, versatile, robust, and long-lived warships; most served for over 40 years.

ww2dbaseThe U.S. Coast Guard Cutter John C. Spencer was named for the 16th Secretary of the Treasury, the second cutter to bear his name. Cutter John C. Spencer was one of the six “New Deal” ships built for the United States Navy and Coast Guard. That means the ships were paid for entirely with funds from the Public Works Administration (PWA), a federal component of The New Deal designed to provide work during The Great Depression (distinct from the similar WPA, the Works Progress Administration). Spencer was laid down at the New York Navy Yard in Brooklyn, New York, United States on 11 Sep 1935. After commissioning and shake-down cruises, the cutter departed New York for Alaskan waters on 13 May 1937. By the time she arrived, her name was officially shortened to Spencer.

ww2dbaseAfter patrolling the Alaskan fishing grounds for just over a year, Spencer was transferred to Stapleton, New York in September, 1939 where she was ordered to enforce the recently passed Neutrality Act.  The Navy decided destroyers were unsuited for the Neutrality Patrols, given the prevailing conditions in the North Atlantic, so the assignment was passed to the Coast Guard.  "Grand Banks Neutrality Cruises," as they were called, ran through January 1940.

ww2dbaseCoast Guard cutters began adding their approved war-time armament in 1940 and in October Spencer went to the Bethlehem Steel Corporation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the upgrade.  An Executive Order placed the Coast Guard under the Navy effective 1 November 1941 and Spencer reported for duty with the Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet, on 9 January 1942. The Navy designed her WPG-36 and she reported for convoy duty in the North Atlantic in March 1942.

ww2dbaseOver the next 14 months, Spencer worked side-by-side with US Navy destroyers, Canadian corvettes, and British escort vessels as she crisscrossed the North Atlantic 16 times escorting convoys between Argentia, Newfoundland and Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Along with the other escort vessels, Spencer dropped scores of depth charges on German submarines and rescued survivors of the merchant ships torpedoed by the U-Boats. Spencer was officially credited with sinking two submarines during her North Atlantic patrols but, according to some sources, she also likely sunk two others.

ww2dbaseTwo of these crossings were particularly harrowing. Between 12 and 27 February 1943, escorting a 43-ship convoy turned into a running gun fight most of the way across. Five days out, the convoy received reports that upwards of 30 German submarines were patrolling the waters ahead. As the wolf-pack descended on the convoy, Spencer dropped depth charges on submerged targets and fired her guns at surface targets for nearly 9 days straight; her crew standing at their battle stations for nearly 24-hours on several of those days.

ww2dbaseSpencer's most notable action began 11 April 1943 as Spencer departed St. John's, Newfoundland. She sailed with a Task Unit consisting of sister-cutter USS Duane, two British destroyers and two Canadian corvettes covering the east-bound convoy HX-233 made up of 56-ships.  Four days out, the convoy's submarine report indicated they may have been sighted by U-boats.  Two days after that, about 500 nautical miles southwest of Ireland, the day began with one of the merchantmen being torpedoed. Spencer dropped a pattern of 10 depth charges and half an hour later fired mousetraps on another contact.

ww2dbaseFour hours later Spencer made sound contact leading to two patterns of depth charges and one salvo of mousetraps that brought a U-Boat to the surface. As the conning tower broke the surface, the guns of Spencer, Duane, and nearly every other ship in the area opened fire. Spencer scored several hits on the submarine but guns from the more distant merchant ships overshot the sub and struck Spencer. Twenty five of Spencer's men were injured and one was killed.

ww2dbaseSpencer maneuvered close to the disabled submarine and lowered a boarding party.  The sub began sinking by the stern as Spencer worked to pick up survivors.  Spencer's boarding party was able to board the submarine only momentarily before it sank and identified it as the U-175. The men of this boarding party were the first Americans to board an enemy man-of-war at sea since the War of 1812. One German officer and 18 men were rescued by Spencer and 22 others by Duane. U-175's commanding officer was killed in the initial surface gunfire.

ww2dbaseSpencer continued protecting the convoy as her crew dealt with the prisoners on board. They learned from the U-Boat crew that when Spencer began her attack, the U-Boat was ready to fire torpedoes at the tanker SS G. Harrison Smith, with a firing solution already programmed in. Three days after the encounter, Spencer and Duane transferred their prisoners to the British Royal Marines at Greenock, Scotland before sailing on to Londonderry, Northern Ireland.

ww2dbaseFrom May 1943 through June 1944 Spencer worked Mediterranean escort duties between New York and Casablanca and also Caribbean convoy protection.

ww2dbaseSpencer underwent conversion to an Amphibious Force Flagship was re-designated WAGC-36. In September 1944 Spencer sailed to join the Pacific fleet, arriving at Hollandia, New Guinea on 1 November 1944. Spencer moved to the Philippines where, on December 7th, she became grounded on a reef in San Pedro Bay, Leyte and sustained moderate hull damage.

ww2dbaseAfter repairs, Spencer was underway as flagship and guide for the 8th Amphibious Group preparing for the 31 January 1945 landings at Nasugbu just south of Manila Bay. She went on to serve as flagship and headquarters vessel for amphibious landings at Puerto Princessa, Palawan; Talisay, Cebu; Moro Gulf, Mindanao; Santa Cruz near Digos, Mindanao; Brunei, North Borneo; and Balikpapan, Borneo. Spencer also served as flagship for other Seventh Fleet Task Groups made up of cruisers, escorts carriers, and elements of the Royal Australian Navy, and the Dutch Navy.

ww2dbaseWhen August 1945 brought news of the Japanese desire to surrender, almost immediately Spencer's role began to shift back toward her peacetime mission. She sailed to Jinsen, Korea, where she briefly served as auxiliary communication ship before being ordered back to San Diego, and then New York.

ww2dbaseAfter she was returned to her peace-time configuration, in 1946 she returned to her traditional Coast Guard duties of law enforcement, search and rescue, and weather station patrols; duties she performed with distinction for 22 years until August 1968.

ww2dbaseIn 1969, Spencer returned to combat for the first time since World War II when she again sailed with the Navy in waters off Vietnam.  She spent nine months as part of the Navy's efforts to interdict communist waterborne supply lines.

ww2dbaseAfter Vietnam, Spencer resumed her normal peace-time duties serving through November 1973.

ww2dbaseSpencer was decommissioned on 23 January 1974 and served as an "Engineer Training School" where students trained using her steam propulsion plant until 15 December 1980.  She was sold in October 1981 and scrapped.

ww2dbaseAt the time of Spencer's decommissioning, she was the most decorated US Coast Guard ship afloat. Like all other Coast Guard vessels that sailed as part of the Navy during World War II, the cutter Spencer served right alongside Naval Ships-of-the-Line and matched them blow for blow through some of the most demanding actions. Spencer earned eight battle stars in World War II (four in the Atlantic and four in the Pacific) as well as two battle stars in Vietnam.

ww2dbaseUSS Spencer Awards

ww2dbaseAt the time USS Spencer was decommissioned, she was the most decorated US Coast Guard ship afloat, receiving:

ww2dbaseSources:
US Coast Guard "Spencer"
US Coast Guard "The U.S.S. Spencer, C.G. Versus the U-175 on 17 April 1943"
Hyperwar
USS Spencer Association

Last Major Revision: Oct 2020

USCG Cutter Spencer Interactive Map

Photographs

US Coast Guard cutter John C. Spencer departing on her maiden voyage to US Territory of Alaska from New York Navy Yard, New York, United States, 19 May 1937Gunnery practice with a 5-inch gun aboard US Coast Guard cutter Spencer, Atlantic Ocean, circa 1940
See all 24 photographs of USCG Cutter Spencer

Spencer Operational Timeline

1 Mar 1937 Spencer was commissioned into service.
25 Feb 1945 Palawan attack force, with USCGC Spencer as flagship and destroyer USS Shaw as screening vessel, conducted a rehearsal landing off Mindoro, Philippines.
26 Feb 1945 Palawan attack force, with USCGC Spencer as flagship and destroyer USS Shaw as screening vessel, departed Mindoro for Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
28 Feb 1945 Palawan attack force, with USCGC Spencer as flagship and destroyer USS Shaw as screening vessel, made landings at Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
23 Mar 1945 Cebu attack force, with USCGC Spencer as flagship and destroyer USS Shaw as screening vessel, conducted a rehearsal landing at Hinunangan Bay, Leyte Gulf, Philippines.
24 Mar 1945 Cebu attack force, with USCGC Spencer as flagship and destroyer USS Shaw as screening vessel, departed Leyte Gulf for Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines.
26 Mar 1945 Operation Victor II started with US Amphibious Group 8 in headquarters ship USCG Spencer landing 14,000 men of the American division near Cebu in the Philippines. The transport group consisted of four high speed transports, 20 landing ships tank, 11 landing ships medium, 15 landing ships infantry, and two submarine chasers. The mine-sweeping group comprised eight YMS-class minesweepers and the escort group consisted of the destroyers Flusser, Shaw, Conyngham, Smith and Drayton. Fire support was provided by Task Group 74/3 consisting of the cruisers Phoenix, Boise and the Australian HMAS Hobart with destroyers Fletcher, Nicholas, Taylor Jenkins and Abbot. Air support was provided by the 13th USSAF.
23 Jan 1974 Spencer was decommissioned from service.




Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you.

Share this article with your friends:

 Facebook
 Reddit
 Twitter

Stay updated with WW2DB:

 RSS Feeds




Visitor Submitted Comments

1. don says:
13 Apr 2014 01:39:00 AM

What a brave ship, I had not even heard of 'Spencer' before! As Indiana Jones would say- she belonged in a museum. Thanks for the article!
2. Janis Beemon Reed says:
4 May 2017 06:41:26 PM

My dad was on this ship while it was in the Pacific.. He was a radarman. I'd like to learn more if there is more available. His name was James A. Beemon.
3. Rick Argeny says:
16 Feb 2023 05:14:53 PM

My Dad served on the Spencer in the Pacific as a radar operator. His name was John Argeny.
4. Anonymous says:
26 Feb 2023 07:02:07 AM

loved the information, my grandfather served on the Spencer during World War two

All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB.

Posting Your Comments on this Topic

Your Name
Your Email
 Your email will not be published
Comment Type
Your Comments
 

Notes:

1. We hope that visitor conversations at WW2DB will be constructive and thought-provoking. Please refrain from using strong language. HTML tags are not allowed. Your IP address will be tracked even if you remain anonymous. WW2DB site administrators reserve the right to moderate, censor, and/or remove any comment. All comment submissions will become the property of WW2DB.

2. For inquiries about military records for members of the World War II armed forces, please see our FAQ.

Change View
Desktop View

Search WW2DB
More on Spencer
Event(s) Participated:
» Start of the Battle of the Atlantic
» United States Neutrality Patrol
» Second Happy Time
» Black May
» Philippines Campaign, Phase 2

USCG Cutter Spencer Photo Gallery
US Coast Guard cutter John C. Spencer departing on her maiden voyage to US Territory of Alaska from New York Navy Yard, New York, United States, 19 May 1937Gunnery practice with a 5-inch gun aboard US Coast Guard cutter Spencer, Atlantic Ocean, circa 1940
See all 24 photographs of USCG Cutter Spencer


Famous WW2 Quote
"With Germany arming at breakneck speed, England lost in a pacifist dream, France corrupt and torn by dissension, America remote and indifferent... do you not tremble for your children?"

Winston Churchill, 1935


Support Us

Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!

Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!