Name: James Douglas SPENCER
Rank / Rating: LT-Lieutenant
Service #: 165468
DOB: Aug 30, 1919
From: Washington, DC
Parents: Rear Admiral and Mrs. Douglas Ancrum Spencer, USN
Went Aboard: Unknown
Age When Ship Went Down: 25 years, 11 months, 0 days
Spouse:
Children:
Grandchildren:
Bio Submitted By: Carl Fahnestock (Admin)
Date Posted:

Lieutenant James Douglas Spencer was born in Washington, D.C. on August 30, 1919. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1943. Spencer’s bio in “LUCKY BAG” (1943 United States Naval Academy Yearbook) presented the following key information about him: “As may be easily inferred, “Doug” is a staunch Confederate and plebe year he spent many hours explaining why he couldn’t learn “Marching Through Georgia.”. His interest in foreign affairs and in national events is considerable and the extent of his knowledge is indicated by the fact that plebe year he won the Naval Order of the United States Junior Prize in Current History.”.” (1) View the “Additional Photos” section below to access and read Spencer’s full entry in the “LUCKY BAG” yearbook. "Doug was appointed to attend the United States Naval Academy from Indiana and entered the academy on 6 June 1939. After graduation, he attended various schools and then reported to the cruiser USS RENO in December 1942 in connection with fitting out and commissioning. The RENO participated in the Philippine Campaign while Doug was aboard. In November he was ordered to flight school at Ottunwa, Iowa which he left in May 1945 for duty aboard the cruiser USS INDIANAPOLIS. The INDIANAPOLIS steaming singly at night was sunk by a well aimed torpedo spread on 29 July 1945 fired by the Japanese submarine I-58. This was the last major U.S. ship sunk by the Japanese and with it was lost our last classmate to die in World War II, Doug Spencer. He wore the Purple Heart, American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp, Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal with two bronze stars, and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon. He was survived by his parents, Rear Admiral and Mrs. Douglas Ancorum Spencer, USN (Ret) who at Doug's death resided at 4000 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D. C."(2) As a United States Naval Academy graduate who served aboard Indianapolis on that fateful last voyage, Doug joined eight other naval academy graduates who also lost their lives as a result of the July 30, 1945 sinking of the ship. The full list of Annapolis graduates who were Lost at Sea on USS Indianapolis includes: Robert Burton Billings, Ensign Edwin Mason Crouch, Captain Joseph Ambrose Flynn, Commander Robert Huntley Hurst, Lieutenant Johns Hopkins Janney, Commander Stanley Walter Lipski, Commander Harold Clifton Moynelo, Jr., Ensign Michael R. Pessolano, Lieutenant James Douglas Spencer, Lieutenant View the “Additional Photos” section below to see pictures and brief information on each of these nine officers. (3)