Robert Spangler: Sailors, Rest Your Oars.

With a heavy heart, I must report that another good one is gone.  Robert Spangler, with family by his side, passed away in Hawaii at the age of 91 years.

While working on EVERYTOWN, USA, I spoke with Robert several times over the years.  I first made contact while he still lived in Baltimore, then Hawaii.  He talked often of his hometown of Albion, Indiana, but especially of family.

Robert remembered well the day his beloved brother, Donald was killed aboard the USS Atlanta at the Battle of Guadalcanal.  “It was Easter of 1943 in Philadelphia when my ship got in and someone handed me a telegram with the news,” he said, then serving with the Merchant Marines. “It was devastating. For that reason, after my time at the Academy was complete, I requested active duty in the Navy. Since Donald’s death, I took it upon myself to investigate every source and read any author I could find that spoke or wrote about that day at Guadalcanal. I needed to know what happened to my brother.”

Our prayers and condolences go out to the Spanglers, a truly wonderful family.  Sailors, Rest Your Oars.

Leave a Reply

Search this Site

Purchase the Books

Blog

Privacy Policy