Eugene D Lund RD2 (1956-1958)

Eugene DeVon Lund, a Radarman aboard the USS Spangler DE-696,  passed away on April 5, 2021 in Filmore, Utah.  He stepped aboard the Spangler on June 25, 1956 fresh from Radioman School.  He departed as a Radioman 2rd Class in 1958.  Gene, as his shipmates preferred to call him, was with his shipmates during the WESPAC cruise leaving San Diego, CA, on  January 3, 1957 and arriving back stateside on  July, 6, 1957.  He was initiated in the Domain of The Golden Dragon when  crossing the equator in early January.  He  took part in 5-day  visit to Auckland, New Zealand and followed up with a  the 6-week Pacific Island Surveillance of the Easter Caroline  and Mariana Islands. Other port visits included three stopovers in Yokosuka, Japan;  along with visits to Beppu, Kobe, and Sasebo , Japan.  His ship while in WESPAC included visits to Manilla in the Phillipines; Singapore; Hong Kong, China; Keoshung, Formosa (Tiawan); along with a visit to Chie Hea, South Korea.  He was a fun guy to be with, made friends easily and well liked by his shipmates.

On leaving the service Eugene soon got a job with AT&T as a communication specialist.  In 1962 he married Karen Lee Hutchings and they had two children: David Eugene and Sheila Marie, five grand children and six great-grandchildren.

Eugene was an avid hunter and fisherman, enjoyed spending time with his horses and was an active member of the Filmore Riding Club. While aboard ship, he became close friends with Albert Arsenault, a Quartermaster 1st class.  For many years the two of them would get together at least once a year to go hunting until Albert's passing.  They are seen together in the two pictures below.