Harold H. Spease, TC1c
USS Salt Lake City CA25
1941-1944

USS SLC..."Enlisted Navy"...Harold H. Spease, TC1c

Harold H. Spease passed away on Aug. 14th, 2000

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I enlisted in the USN in May 1941. After boot camp in San Diego, CA., I was ordered aboard the USS SALT LAKE CITY in September of 1941.

Our Captain, E. M. Zacharius, who at one time had been an interpreter for the Micado in Japan, would tell us that the Japanese were getting too big and at some time they were going to strike but who knows where or when. On December 7, 1941, he announced over the PA system: "Boys, it's happened". And everyone knew what he was talking about.

After December 7th, we spent months of patrol, escort duty, etc. to the Hawaiian Islands and to Australia and other points in the South Pacific.

April 1942, we were escorting the USS Hornet to launch Doolittle and his B-25 raiders to Tokyo. then back to the South Pacific and was attached to the Australian Navy for around three months. then we joined with a force in Wellington, New Zealand to escort Marines through the Fiji's and the Roaring 40's to Guadalcanal. We were in the midst of the Savo Island battle of November 11-12, 1942. After Savo Island and repairs at Pearl Harbor, we went back to the North Pacific and found ourselves confronting what we thought to be merchant ships; but, were Japanese men of war; this was the Komandorski battle.

After Komandorski we went to Mare Island, CA. for repairs, then to the South Pacific and bombarded Tarawa in November 1943. There they decided our guns were eroded so bad we would have to be re-gunned, so back to Mare Island in May, 1944. After re-gunning, we returned to the Aleutians, bombarded Attu Island, then back to Pearl Harbor on August 14, 1944; where I left the ship on August 24th, 1944, to report to Advanced Gunnery School on September 6, 1944, in Washington, D.C. After school, I stayed on as an instructor for 2 more years. I was discharged from active duty on December 6th, 1946. I spent from December 7, 1946 until September 30, 1972 in the Reserves.

H. H. Spease

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Thanks so much for adding my Dad's contributions and memories. You have done a wonderful job with the website. At this time I am printing what you have added from my Dad so he can see what you have done. I know that he was proud to have served his country aboard with SLC. Thanks again.

Sandra S. Ceremelli (Sandy)