View source for MORRIS H. SPRIGGS, CDR, USN (RET.)

{{KeyDates|name_class=Morris Spriggs '15|DoB=April 18, 1892|DoD=October 24, 1944|Age=52}}

{{LuckyBag|LBLink=https://archive.org/details/luckybag1915unse|class=1915
|picture=1915 Spriggs LB.jpg
|LBName=Morris Homer Spriggs
|LBHometown=Paulding, Ohio
|LBNickname="Snookums" "Snooks" "Busque" "Busquelo"
|LBText=THE sly old fox! The dark-haired, dreamy-eyed, quiet, easy-going youth who, for two and a half long years, fooled the O. C.'s into thinking that he was the most innocent, peaceably inclined person in the whole Brigade. But during the last half of the third year, how things did drop! Navy about a hundred, Spriggs nothing. One Saturday morning, through the clever work of its sleuths, the Discipline Department discovered that artillery had been smuggled into Bancroft and certain sections heavily fortified. As a result of later investigations the Department became so alarmed that they held a council of war and decided that Snooks must go to sea; that it was not safe with him at large. The Sixth Company cry since that day has been:<br/>
"Close your windows and bolt your doors—<br/>
Snooks is loose with his forty-fours."
</p><p>
To know Snooks is to like him, and to know him well one should have lived three years in the old Sixth. He is very quiet and easy-going by nature, with but few, if any, worries. Occasionally he likes a good rough-house, and on all liberties he is out for a good time. One of his greatest pleasures is in fussing Walt's queens.
</p><p>
You would hardly call Snooks a savoir or a savant, but he stands about the middle of the class without a great deal of effort. He is, above all, a good, practical worker and a great advocate of there being two ways of doing things the right way and the wrong way. He can naturally show youth at his way is the right way. The Navy was made for Snooks and Snooks for the Navy, so there you are.
</p><p>
"Sure I'll drag for you, Walt."
</p><p>
"Rainbow, why didn't you tell me they were inspecting beds?"
|LBECAs=''Reina Mercedes (2).''}}

== Loss ==
Morris was [http://www.west-point.org/family/japanese-pow/ArisanFiles-2/S.htm lost] when the Japanese "Hell Ship" he was aboard, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arisan_Maru Arisan Maru], was sunk by an American submarine on October 24, 1944.

Prior to his capture, he was on the retired list but serving in the "Office of Captain of the Yard" of Naval Station Olongapo, Philippines.

== Other Information ==
From researcher Kathy Franz:
<blockquote>
Morris graduated from Paulding High School in 1910. He was honored with others who died in World War II in its 1947 yearbook.

In September 1915, Morris was on the USS North Dakota when it docked in Pensacola. The ship was greeted by Lieutenants Patrick Bellinger (’07) and Richard Saufley (’08) in Curtiss hydroplanes which encircled the ship. This was the first time this type of greeting was done in Pensacola.

Morris married Helen Leslie Wright on January 31, 1918, in Manhattan. In the late 1920s, he married Maree/Mary Angela (Comini.) She was formerly married to Major Herbert Browning Newland.

Morris' father Frank was an attorney, his mother was Margaret (Pettay) who died in 1908. His father married Cora (Dunathan) in 1909. Morris’ brother Francis Paul became an attorney, and he died in November 1964. His sister Florence became Mrs. James Yenish.
</blockquote>

He had command of [https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/d/davis-ii.html USS Davis (Destroyer No. 65)] for a week in August 1919.

In 1924 and for some portion of 1925 Morris was [http://dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/Morris_Horner_Spriggs commanding officer of USS S-8 (SS 113)]. 

He was a Lieutenant Commander and a member of the engineering department aboard USS Mississippi in the late 1920s; he was awarded a letter of recognition from the Secretary of the Navy for his performance during this time per the [https://allhands.navy.mil/Media/Archives/1930s/#/Default.aspx?id=18798 Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 138 (August 16, 1930)].

His wife, Marie, was [http://www.naval-history.net/WW2UScasaaDB-USNbyNameS.htm listed as] next of kin; he has [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/162019874/morris-h-spriggs a memory marker] in Ohio and is listed at the [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56757884/morris-homer-spriggs Manila American Cemetery and Memorial].

== Photographs ==
<gallery mode=packed heights=350px style="text-align:left">
File:1915 Spriggs 1.jpg|From his high school's 1947 yearbook, which honored those alumni who died in WWII.
</gallery>

== Prisoner of War Medal ==
From [https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/304457 Hall of Valor]:
<blockquote>
Lieutenant Commander Morris H. Spriggs (NSN: 0-9001), United States Navy, was captured by the Japanese after the fall of Corregidor, Philippine Islands, on 6 May 1942, and was held as a Prisoner of War until his death while still in captivity.

General Orders: NARA Database: Records of World War II Prisoners of War, created, 1942 - 1947<br/>
Service: Navy<br/>
Division: Prisoner of War (Philippine Islands)<br/>
Rank: Lieutenant Commander<br/>
</blockquote>

{{NDexplainer}}
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{{ND|date=March 1918|rank=Lieutenant|command=USS George Washington}}
{{ND|date=January 1919|rank=Lieutenant|command=USS Perkins}}
{{ND|date=January 1920|rank=Lieutenant|command=USS O-7}}
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|column3=[[STANTON H. WOOSTER, LT, USN|LT Stanton Wooster '17]]<br />[[FRANK C. FECHTELER, LT, USN|LT Frank Fechteler '18]]}}}}
{{ND|date=May 1923|rank=Lieutenant|command=Columbia University, New York|billet=under instruction}}
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{{ND|date=March 1925|rank=Lieutenant|command=USS S-6|billet=commanding officer
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{{ND|date=January 1927|rank=Lieutenant Commander|command=Navy Yard, Mare Island, California}}
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{{ND|date=January 1928|rank=Lieutenant Commander|command=Navy Yard, Mare Island, California}}
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|column3=[[FINLEY E. HALL, CDR, USN|ENS Finley Hall '29]]}}}}
{{ND|date=October 1929|rank=Lieutenant Commander|command=Office of Naval Intelligence, Washington, D.C.}}
{{ND|date=January 1930|rank=Lieutenant Commander|command=USS Chester|billet=engineering officer}}
{{ND|date=April 1930|rank=Lieutenant Commander|command=USS Chester|billet=engineering officer
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{{ND|date=January 1931|rank=Lieutenant Commander|command=USS Chester|billet=engineer officer
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|column2=[[SEYMOUR A. JOHNSON, LCDR, USN|LTjg Seymour Johnson '27]] (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 9S)}}}}
{{ND|date=April 1931|rank=Lieutenant Commander|command=Navy Yard, Pearl Harbor}}
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{{ND|date=July 1933|rank=Lieutenant Commander|command=USS Milwaukee|billet=navigator}}
{{ND|date=October 1933|rank=Lieutenant Commander|command=USS Milwaukee|billet=navigator}}
{{ND|date=April 1934|rank=Lieutenant Commander|command=USS Milwaukee|billet=navigator}}
{{ND|date=July 1934|rank=Lieutenant Commander|command=USS Milwaukee|billet=navigator
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{{ND|date=October 1935|rank=Lieutenant Commander|command=USS Rigel
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{{ND|date=January 1936|rank=Lieutenant Commander|command=USS Rigel
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{{ND|date=July 1936|rank=|command=retired as LCDR June 30, 1936}}
{{ND|date=July 1938|rank=|command=LCDR, retired, living in La Jolla, California}}
{{ND|date=January 1939|rank=|command=LCDR, retired, living in La Jolla, California}}
{{ND|date=October 1939|rank=|command=LCDR, retired, living in La Jolla, California}}
{{ND|date=June 1940|rank=Lieutenant Commander|command=16th Naval District|billet=retired on active list
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|column2=[[ADOLPH HEDE, LCDR, USN|LT Adolph Hede '25]]<br />[[JACOB W. BRITT, LCDR, USN|LT Jacob Britt '29]]<br />[[LEONARD V. DUFFY, LT, USN|LT Leonard Duffy '29]]<br />[[LION T. MILES, LT, USN|LT Lion Miles '31]]
|column3=[[ERNEST E. EVANS, CDR, USN|LT Ernest Evans '31]]<br />[[CHARLES J. WESCHLER, LT, USN|LT Charles Weschler '32]]<br />[[JOHN C. PATTY, JR., LT, USN|ENS John Patty, Jr. '37]]<br />[[LEWIS O. DAVIS, LTJG, USN|ENS Lewis Davis '37]]}}}}
{{ND|date=November 1940|rank=Lieutenant Commander|command=16th Naval District|billet=retired on active list
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{{ND|date=April 1941|rank=Lieutenant Commander|command=16th Naval District|billet=retired on active list
|others={{NDcolumns|columns=3|column1=[[RYLAND D. TISDALE, CDR, USN (RET.)|CDR Ryland Tisdale '15]]<br />[[WARNER P. PORTZ, CDR, USN|CDR Warner Portz '15]]
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|column3=[[NELSON J. ALLEN, LCDR, USN|ENS Nelson Allen '39]]}}}}

== Memorial Hall Error ==
The [http://archive.org/details/registerofcommis1942wash Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps of 1942] lists him as a retired Commander; he is listed in Memorial Hall as LCDR, USN.

{{ClassNav|PAGE_ID={{PAGEID}}|Name=Morris|ClassYear=1915|PreviousPersonLink=RYLAND D. TISDALE, CDR, USN (RET.)|PreviousPersonName=Ryland Tisdale '15|NextPersonLink=WARNER P. PORTZ, CDR, USN|NextPersonName=Warner Portz '15}}

[[Category:1915|Spriggs]]
[[Category:US Navy|Spriggs]]
[[Category:KIA|Spriggs]]
[[Category:WWII|Spriggs]]
[[Category:Pacific|Spriggs]]
[[Category:16th Naval District|Spriggs]]
[[Category:Corregidor|Spriggs]]
[[Category:Ship|Spriggs]]
[[Category:Arisan Maru|Spriggs]]
[[Category:POW|Spriggs]]
[[Category:Retired|Spriggs]]

[[Category:MH error-rank]]
{{KIA|panel=MORRIS HOMER SPRIGGS}}
{{OpLoss|uncorrected=MORRIS H. SPRIGGS, LCDR, USN}}