The half-corroded letters on a "dog-tag" found on a small isle near Bali in the South Pacific have been deciphered as "Major Charles A. Sprague, Bridgeport, Conn." The news came by way of the U.S. Army this week to the pilot's parents, Dr. and Mrs. Charles H. Sprague, of 29 Hanover St.
One of First Dead
Thus the story is complete of one of the first Connecticut men to die in the early days of outnumbered Americans in the last war. The seven-year mystery is over.
Since their son was reported "missing" on Feb. 20, 1942, the Spragues have gone through the stages of hoping that he might have reappeared in action, to expecting only the few simple details such as the army has not discovered.
Atty. Mansfield D. Sprague, his brother, said that Adj. Gen. Witsell notified the family a few days ago.
That Maj. Sprague was shot down between Java and Bali was told them in April 1942 by a Maj. William P. Fisher, who was one of the Bridgeporter's command of 16 pursuit planes guarding bombers, when they were attacked by 36 enemy planes.
Describing the attack to the parents here, Fisher said that Sprague showed extraordinary bravery.
The Major's widow, Lillian Oehlslager, a few years ago married another pilot named Strathren and they live at McCord Field, Washington. He left two children, Barbara and Charles Mansfield.
Maj. Sprague was a graduate of Central High School and of West Point. At the latter he was a '37 classmate of Colin Kelly, whose destiny he now shares completely.
In memory of the major, Dr. and Mrs. Sprague last year gave a kneeling bench to United Church.
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