Re your inquiry about John Hugh Spotts.

I am Charles E Hubenthal, was a pilot in Air Group 83 and in VF 83 squadron. Also boarded the Essex March 10, 1945. I tell you this because I was with John Spotts that day, March 19, 1945 on the carrier Wasp. The story that was related below is fairly accurate however some minor points are different. Here is the story as I remember it: (please note that dates used are ones in that area which would be different than ones used back in the states), March 18, 1945 was the first day of combat and flights were over Nittegahara, during the raid a pilots plane was damaged and he was spotted in the water. This was reported back to the ship and John Spotts and I were dispatched to try and find him and to try to drop him a raft. We did find him and dropped the raft. We stayed around for a short while then returned to what we thought was our group of ships but the Essex was in another group so we landed on the Wasp. The next morning we were preparing for our flight, I was in the ready room while Lt Spotts was going to the hangar deck to get his plotting board from his plane. About this time general quarters sounded and all the guns were shooting then silence for just a second. A Japanese plane had dropped a bomb which hit about midship, went through the flight deck and exploded below. There was fire on the hangar deck. I was concerned about Lt Spotts and inquired at sick bay and they told me that he had died. I later talked with a man who had been a few steps ahead of Lt Spotts, had his back to the hangar deck and his backpack was riddled but he only had a scratch. It was his opinion that the shrapnel and fire was what caused Lt Spotts death. Yes he was buried at sea. When I returned to the States I contacted his Mother and have kept in touch with his brother at Christmas.
Hope this information is what you are looking for.

Charles E Hubenthal