Carroll Wayne SpraginsCaptain272ND MILITARY POLICE CO, 1ST FIELD FORCE, USARV Army of the United States 01 October 1943 - 10 March 1970 Leavenworth, Kansas Panel 13W Line 108 |
|
 
|
The database page for Carroll Wayne Spragins
IN REMEMBRANCEA memorial initiated by a friend,Russ jrtkelly@earthlink.net |
|
I miss daddy so much. It sure doesn't seem possible that 31 years have now come and gone since he lived, then again it has been a long lifetime that I have had to live without him. I would like to clear up some confusion that was brought to my attention by a dear friend of ours. Although Daddy was born in Oklahoma he was raised in California which is also where he met my mother. While in the Army reserves, they were sent to the Army base at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas where I was born in 1966. When daddy was drafted, his address was naturally listed in Kansas. This has created a lot of confusion for people who see his homestate as Kansas but know he was from California. Just wanted to clear that up and thank you Ken for bringing that to my attention. I am so thankful to all of you that have opened your hearts and contacted me in the last few years. Bob, Dave, Kenn, Lee, Bill, Chaplain Grenz and those I haven't had the pleasure of making contact with yet. I know how incredibly difficult it must be for you to revisit that era in your lives and I realize that it would be so much easier if you didn't have to travel in your mind back to it by sharing your history with me. I love each of you for the gift of yourselves that every one of you have given me. Therein lies the light at the end of my darkness.
Hugs to all - 31 July 2002
For as long as I live, he will be loved. I was thinking today, Daddy, about all the wonderful people who have come into my life because they knew and loved you and wanted to know me. I am so truly blessed and continue to be loved BY YOU, through them. Your dear "brother" Bill (Randolph) to this day cannot speak of you without choking on the tears. We have shed many together. We have also shared many a laugh at your expense. He so often tells me how much like you I am. His oldest son, your namesake - Wayne - is a true gem. You would love him I'm sure. Wayne along with Gabrielle, Joey, and Joseph have embraced me as a sibling and I adore them. Thank you for loving Bill in your lifetime. He and his family have continued to love me for you and they have done it well. "Uncle" Bob (Stanek) remains in awe of the person you were and the manner in which you lived your life. To this day you continue to be a daily blessing in his life. He loves us as if we were his own. Thank you for touching his life in such a deep and meaningful way. When he finally retired from the Army last year, he spoke of you in the speech he gave, and it gave me such pride to be your daughter. He and I have appointed him my Godfather and I am proud that his respect for you has led him to love us so much. These are just two of the gifts you have given me from beyond. Thank you for guiding them into my life so that I could have a better understanding of who you were and who you would have been. The love you gave to them in turn has been given to me, your son-in-law and your grandchildren. There is no greater gift than a chain of unbroken love. You blessed my life when you lived and you continue to bless my life from beyond. It is an honor when someone says I am "just like you".
I love you, daddy - Joyelle
25 May 2006 Hello Daddy, another year has been spent without you, yet oddly enough your heart continues to beat from beyond. What a gift you gave me in uniting Richard and Linda King to our family, which has grown to include Max and Pat Sewell and Dave and Stacy Thompson. Rich still carries your memory deep in the wounds inside his heart that the trauma of your death gave him, and he is slowly finding his way back to life so many years later. I continue to marvel at the ripples of your life that still find their way to me. Thank you so much, daddy. We continue to mourn you, celebrate you and love you. You will never be forgotten when so many stand united by your life. What a gift you were and continue to be. I know without doubt that I have never, and will never be alone. Thank you for seeing to it that I have so many angels watching over me. We continue to work on healing, and I know that is the purpose for which you keep bringing us to each other. One heart at a time, when each is ready, and not a moment sooner. Because of you, we continue to help each other rebuild the broken pieces of our lives. Thank you daddy. Joyelle
From Your Very Proud Daughter, |
|
Carroll was my beloved husband and the father of my only child, Joyelle. Thirty-two years have flown by but he has never been far from my thoughts and it is amazing how much I still miss him. Time helps soothe my heart, but the wound never disappears. There are so many milestones I planned to share with him. He would be so proud of Joyelle and the young woman she has become, so very like him in the smallest and largest of ways that you would think she spent her whole life shadowing him instead of a far too short three and one-half years. He would adore his grandchildren, Emily, Dillon and Caroline, and find himself replicated yet again in those three precious youngsters. All of them, to one degree or another, posess his wacky, hilarious humor and sense of the ridiculous, most especially Joyelle and Caroline. Recent years have been kinder to me and I've reestablished contact with some of his dearest and most cherished friends, but I know there are others I would like to hear from, many of whom I've never met or even known about. I welcome your remembrances. Many of you hold the missing pieces of information that would make his legacy complete. He believed in God and America and willingly gave his life in order to preserve the freedom we cherish. He was known for his deep faith and trust in God and shared both in the humblest and sincerest of ways. As long as we hold him in our hearts, he will never truly be gone from us, and those of us who knew him best know that he is waiting for us in a better place.
From his wife, May 29, 2006 Thirty-six years later and Wayne is never far from my heart. His memory is a soothing comfort. He is never far from my thoughts and I can often feel his presence - more like an angel sitting on my shoulder. At times, I can even hear his laughter. Now that my life has entered a more tranquil phase, I am interested in corresponding with others who loved and/or served with him. I know there are many details I would love to have about those days in Vietnam to supplement the letters I received in 1970. If anyone wishes to contact me, my e-mail address is elliottnn@aol.com. Please put his name in the title line so I don't mistake e-mails for spam.
From his wife, |
|
As a former Sergeant and member of the 272nd MP Company, I'm pleased to state Captain Spragins was the best Commanding Officer I had in my entire Army experience. Through his leadership and guidance, I feel I became a better soldier and person. I also had the good fortune to meet his daughter Joyelle and children in person and Mrs. Spragins through e-mails. Over 36 years have passed since that terrible day, and yet it seems so recent. I will always remember his kindness, his firmness, his fairness and Faith.
From a friend, |
|
On this Veterans Day, 2006, I have had thoughts of those who did not return from Vietnam with me. My thoughts have centered on my Commanding Officer, Captain Carroll Wayne Spragins of the 272nd M.P. Company. Captain Spragins was not only an officer and my C.O., he was a friend that I both respected and trusted. His untimely death had a traumatic effect on many of us who served with him 36 years ago. I have had the wonderful opportunity to meet his daughter Joyelle and her family. Her questions were hard pressed as she wanted to know all she could about her Father. Sergeant Max Sewell, who had traveled with me for the meeting, and I were able to help Joyelle see the side of her Father that we knew while serving with him. It was an emotional meeting that left me seeing the other side of war ... what it does to the families left behind. Some of the memories on this Veterans Day have been tough, but there is one proud memory that stands out ... the memory of Captain Carroll Spragins, a man I was proud to serve under.
Dave Thompson (Sgt) |
|
Top of Page
 www.VirtualWall.org Back to |
With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 18 May 2000
Last updated 08/10/2009