Roll of Honor
Incident
Captain Martin Sprouse died as a result of complications from influenza while performing his assigned duties during the Influenza Pandemic.
The Asheville Police Department had been tasked with enforcing local health laws to help prevent the spread of influenza, as well as performing their regular police duties.
Captain Sprouse served with the Asheville Police Department for 15 years.
The 1918 Influenza Pandemic
Captain Martin Sprouse died on January 21, 1919 of influenza contracted in the line of duty. He was 41.
He is one of 201 officers honored here.
The influenza pandemic of 1918 killed more people worldwide than the war that preceded it. Police officers worked it without vaccines, without antibiotics, and often without masks, enforcing quarantines, transporting the sick, and standing posts in cities where the dead outpaced the undertakers.
They caught it doing the job. There was no treatment to give them.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-8D8C1028- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Martin. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
No vaccine, no antibiotics, and you stood the post anyway.
Captain Sprouse gave the Asheville Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Asheville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Captain Sprouse.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Captain Martin Sprouse is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NC, 37 of 664 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 5.6% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At Asheville Police Dept., 1 of 9 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 11.1% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Martin Sprouse's cause is highlighted.
How Martin Sprouse Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Martin Sprouse is highlighted in Jan.
Others Who Wore This Badge
8 officers from Asheville Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw.
