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CHIEF SHIPFITTER WALTER F. SPILLER was born on July 11, 1913. The husband of Margaret E. Spiller, of Blackwood NJ, he died while serving with the United States Navy aboard USS Goodhue APA-107, a Bayfield Class Attack Transport , in the Pacific Theater of Operations on April 2, 1945. Goodhue (APA-107), formerly Sea Wren, was launched under Maritime Commission contract by Western Pipe & Steel Co., San Francisco, Calif., 31 May 1944; sponsored by Mrs. Charles R. Purcell; transferred to the Navy and commissioned 11 November 1944, Captain L. D. Sharp, Jr., in command. Goodhue underwent shakedown training off San Pedro and took part in amphibious training exercises 8-21 December off San Diego, preparing for her part in the mas sive landings still to come in the Pacific war. The ship loaded vehicles at San Diego and sailed 4 January 1945 for Seeadler Harbor, Admiralty Islands, where she arrived 21 January. There the transport loaded passengers and cargo and sailed for Hollandia, New Guinea, anchoring 4 February. After steaming to Leyte Gulf 4-12 February, Goodhue carried supplies to various bases in the area and took part in amphibious training until 25 February. She then be gan to load troops and supplies for the Okinawa invasion, as American forces neared the last stop in their victorious sweep across the Pacific. More landing drills followed, after which the transport got underway in convoy for Okinawa 21 March. Arriving off Kerama Retto 26 March, Goodhue and the other transports put ashore troops to secure the island group as a base for the coming inva sion of nearby Okinawa. Goodhue remained at Kerama Retto during the initial landings 1 April and while returning to sea the evening of 2 April underwent a heavy air attack. As gunners from Goodhue, screen ships, and other transports fired furious ly, suicide planes attempted to crash the loaded ships. Henrico (APA-45) took a kamikaze hit on her bridge, and Dickerson (APD-21) was also crashed. Goodhue's gunners splashed a plane on the starboard quarter, but another headed directly for her from dead ahead. Unable to bring her full firepower to bear in that direction, Good- hue could not divert the attacker, which hit the mainmast and fell astern of the ship. Exploding bombs from the aircraft caused many casualties and fires, killing 27 and wounding 117, but the ship did not suffer serious structural damage and was able to continue. Subsequently, Goodhue was based at Kerama Retto repairing battle dam age, and rejoined her transport squadron 10 April. She transferred her Army Medical Detachment to le Shima by LST 17 April and landed the main body of her em barked troops 20 April. Nearing the beaches in a pre dawn operation, she landed her reinforcements and retired, undergoing air attack again that afternoon. Cargo was off loaded under cover of smokescreens by 24 April and 2 days later Goodhue joined a convoy bound for Ulithi. Walter Spiller was brought home aboard the USAT Dalton Victory early in 1949. He was buried at Beverly National Cemetery on March 25, 1949. |
