Korean POW tells his story to F Troop Reunion crowd

When Ted Sprouse went to Korea to serve Uncle Sam, he left a lot behind, including a promising baseball career with the New York Giants and the girl he grew up with.

The baseball career ended before Sprouse got out of the Korean POW camp in which he spent 33 months. Shrapnel and a broken back ended his career as a catcher.

But he still has the girl.

Sprouse, of Ottumwa, spoke during a ceremony at the F Troop Memorial Cavalry grounds after the annual parade Saturday afternoon. The Ottumwa man introduced his wife, Colleen, at the beginning of his speech.

"She and I grew up together in Drakeville," Sprouse said. "I left to join the service in 1948 and I didn't see her again until 1998."

By that time, both had been widowed.

"I asked her if she wanted to get together to talk about old times. And we're still together," he said.

While Sprouse said he can tie his shoes like anyone else, he is officially on 100-percent disability. He is the author of a book about his POW experience, "Limbo on the Yalu?And Beyond!"

Sprouse said he played baseball on an Army team and had been asked by the Giants to try out at a camp in California.

"They told me to come back to see them after I got back."

He went to Korea in 1950, shortly after the June invasion that started the conflict. (Without congressional action, the U.S. involvement in Korea never achieved "war" status.)

"Arriving in Korea, I noticed the worst smell in my life," Sprouse told the audience. Much of the nation smelled bad, and the dust of the roads made it difficult to breathe.