John Spence (frogman) facts for kids
John Pitts Spence (June 14, 1918 – October 29, 2013) was an American diver who served in the United States Navy during World War II. He is known as the country's first combat frogman. John Spence was the first regular sailor to join a secret group. This group was led by General William "Wild Bill" Donovan from the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). The OSS was a special spy agency during the war. This secret group later became known as the frogmen. They were the early version of today's United States Navy SEALs.
What is a Frogman?
The name "frogman" actually started with John Spence. He once told a historian that the name came about while he was training. He wore a green, waterproof suit. One day, someone saw him come out of the water and shouted, "Hey, frogman!" The name stuck for all the divers in his group.
These frogmen trained to fight underwater. They learned special moves for close combat and how to use explosives. Their goal was to secretly destroy enemy ships and underwater defenses. John Spence learned from Dr. Christian J. Lambertsen, a medical student. Dr. Lambertsen created the special breathing gear, called rebreathers, that the frogmen used underwater.
Secret Missions in Europe
After his training, John Spence was sent to the United Kingdom. His first big mission was to attack a German submarine base in France. But this mission was called off. Leaders worried that attacking the base would warn Nazi Germany about the upcoming D-Day invasion. D-Day was a huge landing by Allied forces in Normandy.
Instead, John Spence and some British soldiers went on secret trips into France. They helped rescue Allied pilots who were stuck behind enemy lines. They also met with the French Resistance, who were brave French people fighting against the German occupation.
Fighting in the Pacific
Later, Spence went to the Bahamas. There, he helped train other combat swimmers. They were getting ready to fight against Japan in the Pacific Theater. Soon, Spence was sent to the Pacific himself. He served on the USS Wadsworth (DD-516), a Navy destroyer ship.
During the Battle of Iwo Jima, he operated a front gun on the ship. He fired the gun to protect U.S. combat swimmers. In 1945, during the long Battle of Okinawa, he also used the gun against kamikaze pilots. These were Japanese pilots who flew their planes into enemy ships.
Life After the War
John Spence could not tell his friends or family about his secret work as a frogman for many years. The information about the group was kept secret until the late 1980s. That's when the government finally made their files public.
Spence stayed in the United States Navy until he retired in 1961. After leaving the Navy, he worked as an engineer. He tested systems for the Lockheed Corporation, a big aerospace company. He lived in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. Later, he moved to Oroville, California. After his first wife passed away in the 2000s, he moved to Bend, Oregon.
John Spence passed away in Bend, Oregon, on October 29, 2013. He was 95 years old. He was survived by his four daughters: Genevieve Ross, Yvonne Romano, Margo Kirkwood, and Sharon Ogden.
