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  World War II Honor Roll

G. Oscar Sprigg


 
Date of Induction-April 15, 1942
Branch of service-Naval Reserves
Trained at Baltimore, Maryland; Norfolk, Virginia; Providence, Rhode Island
Date of Embarkation-September 18, 1942
Served in Southwest Pacific
Engagements-British Solomon Islands
Medals Earned-Good Conduct Medal; Pacific Theatre Ribbon;
 American Theatre Ribbon
Returned to States-August 1, 1943
Discharge Station-San Diego, California
Date of Discharge-September 2, 1943
Rating-Carpenter's Mate 2/c Served-15 months
Present occupation-Mechanic
Enlisted in US Naval Reserve and was transferred to the 18th Marine Combat Engineers, 2nd Marine Division

From the  September 21st, 1943 edition of The Frederick News

"George O. Sprigg, son of Mr. And Mrs Clarence Sprigg who reside of the Gettysburg road a short distance from Emmitsburg , has returned home from Guadalcanal with an honorable disability discharge from the armed forces due to fever contracted while fighting in the jungles of the South Sea Islands.

Sergeant Sprigg enlisted in the Navy at Norfolk, Va. In September, 1942, and following months of training in the Caribbean Sea, he was transferred to the 18th Marine Engineers and took part in the landings and engagements and jungle fighting in and around Henderson field on Guadalcanal.

He stated that the Engineers are often in an advanced position and have double duty to perform in the way of building bridges and fighting off attacking Japs at the same time. He said the Jap would hide behind a banana leaf and "move his position forward and closer to where the marine engineers were working and the first thing we knew a banana leaf was shooting at us. But, quickly the Jap and the banana leaf would go up into the air from a number of well placed American shots."

The fighting in the dense jungle surrounding ‘Henderson Field’ was mostly of the Indian type. According to Sergeant Sprigg, the Japs will surrender and not always fight to the death, such being noticeable after the fighting has continued for several weeks in the same locality, when the detachment has lost all its commissioned officers. He has seen a number of Jap prisoners. Sergeant Sprigg was transferred back to the Navy for disability discharge and his papers contain a 4.0 final average rating which is the highest conduct rating given in the Navy."

If you knew George Oscar Sprigg and would like to see them remembered in
the next History of Emmitsburg, Please send us any stories or
anecdotes about him to us at: history@emmitsburg.net

Ruth Richard's: Emmitsburg During World War II
LtCdr Hillman's: 50 Yard Line Seats for a Show I Would Rather Have Missed

Revolutionary War Honor Roll
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World War II Honor Roll