Name: Charles Byrd SPARKS
Rank / Rating: COX-Coxswain
Service #: 604 89 98
DOB: Apr 13, 1918
From: Birmingham, AL
Parents: Mrs. C. B. Sparks
Went Aboard: Nov 23, 1942
Age When Ship Went Down: 27 years, 3 months, 17 days
Spouse:
Children:
Grandchildren:
Bio Submitted By: Carl Fahnestock (Admin)
Date Posted:

Coxwain Sparks was born on April 13, 1918. His mother was Mrs. C.B. Sparks. He joined the Navy in September, 1942. Sparks had a brother, PFC Earl H. Sparks who was serving in the South Pacific during WWII.

Charles Byrd Sparks, Coxwain was one of 879 crew members of USS Indianapolis (CA-35) who “Lost Their Lives At Sea” as a direct casualty of the July 30, 1945 sinking of USS Indianapolis. All of these 879 men plus 9 others who also lost their lives at sea as a direct outcome of a March 31, 1945 kamikaze attack in Okinawa, have been recorded as having been “Lost at Sea” (LAS) while aboard USS Indianapolis (CA-35) in 1945. Seventy-six years after the ship’s sinking (in 2021), a thorough investigation of available historic records culminated in the identification of thirteen (13) sailors on that fateful last voyage whose names were subsequently placed on an “Accounted For” list. Charles Byrd Sparks was one of these thirteen (13) sailors who was “Buried At Sea”. The RICK STONE And FAMILY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION researchers “poured through dozens of books and articles published on the sinking of USS Indianapolis, analyzed all of the seven recovery ship’s Deck Logs, recovery ship’s War Diaries, and the recovery ship’s commanding officer’s After Action Reports. In addition, Foundation investigators obtained the 'Individual Deceased Personnel Files’ and other documents from the National Archives to determine possible biometric matches to unknown sailors recovered at the sinking site.”(1) While each of these 13 sailors “Lost Their Lives At Sea”, they were each “Buried at Sea”. The 13 men who by clear and convincing evidence gathered at the time of the Rescue and Recovery process resulted in their being “Buried at Sea” are: George Stanley Abbott, S1- Seaman First Class Eugene Clifford Batson, S2- Seaman Second Class William Alexander Haynes, S1- Seaman First Class Albert Raymond Kelly, S2- Seaman Second Class Albert Davis Lundgren, S1- Seaman First Class Ollie McHone, F1- Fireman First Class George David Payne, S2- Seaman Second Class Alvin Wilder Rahn, SK3- Storekeeper Third Class Jose Antonio Saenz, SC3- Ship’s Cook Third Class Joseph Mason Strain, S2- Seaman Second Class Angelo Anthony Sudano, SSML3- Ship’s Service Man (Laundryman) Third Class Floyd Ralph Wolfe, GM3- Gunner’s Mate Third Class Charles Byrd Sparks, COX- Coxswain Burial at Sea Charles was picked up and identified by USS Alvin C. Cockrell DE-366 Wednesday August 8, 1945. It not being possible to bring Charles aboard for the official Burial at Sea Ceremony he was placed in a sea bag, weighted with two 5" shells and "committed to the deep" by his fellow seamen.