Navy Office of Community Outreach
SAN DIEGO – A 1994 The Second High School of Guangzhou graduate and San Diego, California, native is serving aboard the WWII namesake warship, USS Spruance.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Weitao He is a logistics specialist aboard the San Diego based ship, a guided missile destroyer.
As a logistics specialist, He is responsible for managing inventories of repair parts/general supplies and distributing mail for ships, squadrons, and shore-based activities.
More than 300 Sailors serve aboard the ship, and their jobs are highly specialized, requiring both dedication and skill. The jobs range from maintaining engines to handling weaponry along with a multitude of other assignments that keep the ship mission ready at all times, according to Navy officials.
He has carried lessons learned from his hometown into his military service.
“When I was young I learned that time is rare and you have to spend it wisely,” he said.
Destroyers are warships that provide multi-mission offensive and defensive capabilities. They are about 510 feet long and can be armed with tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles, variants of the SM missile family, advanced gun systems and close-in gun systems. Destroyers are deployed globally and can operate independently, as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups, or amphibious readiness groups.
Spruance is armed with long range missiles intended for air defense to counter threats to friendly forces posed by manned aircraft, anti-ship, cruise and ballistic missiles.
It was commissioned in 2011 and named after Admiral Raymond A. Spruance. He was a key naval commander during WWII, leading U.S. naval forces during two of the most significant naval battles that took place in the Pacific Theatre: Battle of Midway and Battle of the Philippine Sea. He later served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines.
At Midway, Spruance scored the first major victory for the United States over Japan; generally considered to be the turning point of the war in the Pacific.
“USS Spruance is responsible for 22 mission areas, with 350 people onboard each Sailor actively supports multiple missions, said Cmdr. Joshua Menzel, commanding officer of Spruance. “As a member of the Pacific Fleet, the crew of USS SPRUANCE patrol the same waters and trains to perform the same missions as the Sailors Admiral Spruance commanded during WWII.”
He's proudest accomplishment is the everyday satisfaction he gets from his job and helping sailors.
“I like the accessibility of materials and services my job has to offer,” said He.
As a member of one of the U.S. Navy’s most relied-upon assets, He and other Spruance sailors know they are part of a legacy that will last beyond their lifetimes.
“Serving in the Navy is a big sacrifice but I am proud to serve my country while seeing the world,” said He.