CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – One of Clarksville’s best known celebrities, Frank Sutton, was honored Sunday, October 25 as the library at Norman Smith Elementary School was dedicated in his name. Sutton, a Clarksville native, was an actor best remembered for his role as Sgt. Vince Carter on TV’s “Gomer Pyle, USMC” which aired from 1964-69.
The idea for dedicating the library grew out of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Board of Education and members, Josh Baggett, Anne Murtha, George Giles, former board member Horace Murphy, and Director of Schools, Dr. B.J. Worthington were part of the dedication ceremony which included the unveiling of a plaque.
The plaque will be placed outside the door of the library at the school and Norman Smith Principal, Margaret Hausauer talked about the dedication of the library to Sutton. “This is huge for us, we’re so excited to have our library dedicated to such a person that loved reading and literature and he was also a patriot. It means a lot to us,” said Hausauer.
Sutton was well known for his love of books and along with his career as a performer Sutton was also remembered for his patriotism. He served in the Army in World War II in the South Pacific and during the Vietnam War he reportedly visited every Marine hospital in Vietnam visiting with wounded Marines.
Local historian Billy Frank Morrison provided a photo gallery and spoke about Sutton at the dedication. Sutton was born in Clarksville in 1923 and passed away in 1974 in Louisiana. He is buried in Greenwood Cemetery.