Spurgeon injured, fellow soldier dies

By Kurt Krueger
News-Review Editor

AFGHANISTAN — SFC Lyle Scott Spurgeon, a Phelps native and combat engineer with the 951st Sapper Company, was injured last Friday during an attack that killed a Rhinelander soldier.

His wife, Karen, said Tuesday that he was on patrol about 3 a.m. Oct. 2, when a launched grenade impacted his vehicle, resulting in shrapnel injuries to his head, arm and leg on his left side.

Spurgeon was flown from a hospital in Germany to the Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C., Monday night, where his injuries will be further assessed.

“He can’t see out of his left eye right now but he’s hopeful that medical procedures will restore that vision,” said his wife. “He’s already had two surgeries on his left leg to remove shrapnel, but they couldn’t deal with the eye issue in Germany.”

She said her husband is mourning the death of Sgt. Ryan Adams of Rhinelander, who was killed in the same attack.

“He’s a platoon sergeant, so the loss of one of his boys is devastating,” she said.

Adams was a 2001 graduate of Rhinelander High School. The 951st Sapper Company of Rhinelander and Tomahawk deployed to Afghanistan in February for what was expected to be a 10-month mission.

Karen Spurgeon, a family readiness volunteer, said cards can be sent for either family to 951st Sapper Company, 1136 Military Road, Rhinelander, WI 54501.

She said her husband has been in the military for 20 years. He is in his second tour of duty with the unit, which was deployed to Iraq from 2002-’04.

He is employed as a corrections officer at the Vilas County Sheriff’s Department.

Karen Spurgeon said her husband is trained for combat. She said his duties include detonating mines and other explosives, clearing routes for transport vehicles and carrying supplies into combat zones.

“It’s really a pretty volatile job,” she said. “They are hopeful that his eye will mend and he can rejoin his unit when they return in November.”