Last Patrol volunteers joined family and friends to honor the 100th birthday & miliary service of WWII Navy Veteran, Jasper Carroll "JC" Traynham.

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Jun 23
2 min read

Carroll was born in 1925 in Greenville, SC. He enlisted in the Navy in 1943 after high school. After completing basic training, he returned home to marry his high school sweetheart, Ruth. He then completed training in Amphibious Operations in New Orleans, LA and Port Hueneme, CA. He served as a Aviation Radio Technician in the South Pacific, experiencing combat at Ulithi, where a Japanese attack sank his tanker. Later, while at Palau Island, his task force faced a torpedo attack from a Japanese submarine. This submarine was destroyed by American aircraft.

During the liberation of the Philippines, American troops landed in Leyte amid heavy bombardment. Carroll dug a foxhole as American ships attacked. Japanese forces bombed the landings. After securing Clark Field and capturing Japanese aircraft, Carroll's unit prepared the airfield for friendly planes. He received joyful news of his son’s birth during this time. As his unit prepared for the invasion of Japan, the atomic bomb droppings led to Japan's surrender. Carroll served in Japan, sustaining an injury, and endured two typhoons during his South Pacific service.

After being discharged in January 1946, he ran a radio/electronics store and later worked as an electronics technician at Charleston Naval Shipyard. In 1949, he attended President Truman's inauguration. During the Korean War, he was recalled as a Communications Technician. Later he returned to the shipyard until 1959, then trained at Cal-Poly Tech and worked as a metrologist for 20 years. Tragically, his wife and son died in a train crash the day after his son’s senior prom. Later in life, he married Jamie, and they spent many years together. He enjoys time with his daughter who loves taking care of him.

We salute Carroll and thank him for his service.