Sgt. Carter, USMC - Frank Spencer SUTTON (JASCO)
Feb 11, 2016 16:38:27 GMT 8
Karl Welteke, chadhill, and 2 more like this
Post by EXO on Feb 11, 2016 16:38:27 GMT 8
Remarkable how Corregidor turns up. This is courtesy of Fleet Radio Unit Pacific.
What we didn't know about Sergeant Carter....
Frank Spencer Sutton (October 23, 1923 – June 28, 1974) was an American actor best remembered for his role of Gunnery Sergeant Vince Carter on the CBS television series Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. He was born in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Sutton tried to join the Navy & Marines, but was turned down for failing to pass the physical, He tried to enlist in every branch of the armed forces but was rejected because of his color-blindness. Finally the the Army accepted him in 1943, he was assigned to a Joint Assault Signal Company (JASCO), composed of Army and Navy men. Within 18 months he took part in 14 landings in the Pacific, including Leyte, Luzon, Bataan and Corregidor. When the war ended, he was sent to join the occupation forces in Korea, where he wrote, directed and produced ''The Military Government Hour,'' a radio propaganda program.
Combat and Operations History
1944-1945 Leyte Campaign 17 October 1944 to 1 July 1945 WWII Streamer/Battle of Leyte
1944-1945 Asiatic-Pacific Theater/Luzon Campaign 15 December 1944 to 4 July 1945 WWII Streamer
1945-1945 Luzon Campaign 15 December 1944 to 4 July 1945 WWII Streamer/Battle for Recapture of Bataan
1945-1945 Luzon Campaign 15 December 1944 to 4 July 1945 WWII Streamer/Battle for Manila
1945-1946 Occupation of Korea
During a time 1960's when the military was being opposed verbally and physically, Frank Sutton, put on a one man 25 minute comedy show between the 1966-1967 season of Gomer Pyle, USMC in Vietnam at this own expense. He put on 56 Shows in 8 days for Marine Corps Units as Sergeant Carter. He said having experienced warfare himself, he wanted to bring what pleasure he could to the troops in Vietnam.
He said "his identification was with young fighting guys. I wanted to be part of it. I know what it means to watch a buddy die in a rice paddy with the stink and the filth." He enjoyed the bringing joy to the troops in Vietnam, He revamped his routine and took it to troops across the USA, focused mostly on those that had come back injured from the war.
So he instructed his press agent to the schedule cross country visitations to military hospitals, to USO Clubs and Military bases, where he could entertain the the boys. He would perform 40 minute comedy routine at every stop. For his Voluntary work, the Marine Corps made him a Honorary Sergeant in the Corps.
In May of 1967 He was made a honorary of Naval Aviator with the rank of colonel in the Texas Navy, by Adm Grady Terry.
During the final three years of Gomer Pyle, Frank spent an endless number of weekends at military functions, free of charge. And the Servicemen loved it.
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