Neil D. Frye, Spring Hill, N.C Death, Obituary – This April, the community of Spring Hill, North Carolina, will welcome home one of its own who made the ultimate sacrifice during the infamous attack on Pearl Harbor. U.S. Navy Mess Attendant 3rd Class Neil D. Frye, who perished aboard the USS West Virginia on December 7, 1941, will finally be laid to rest in his home state, more than 80 years after his death.
Frye, just 20 years old at the time of the attack, was serving aboard the battleship West Virginia when Japanese aircraft bombed Pearl Harbor in one of the most devastating surprise attacks in U.S. history. The ship, docked at Fort Island, sustained significant damage from torpedoes, and despite heroic efforts from the crew, 106 sailors aboard the West Virginia lost their lives. Frye was one of them.
For decades, Frye’s remains were among those classified as “unknowns,” buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, also known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. However, after years of painstaking efforts, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) was able to identify Frye’s remains in September 2024 using mitochondrial DNA analysis, a breakthrough that allowed the Navy to finally bring him home.
Born in Vass, North Carolina, Frye was a young man full of promise before he answered his country’s call to service. His tragic fate on that fateful day at Pearl Harbor will now be honored in his home state, where he will be laid to rest with full military honors. His story is a reminder of the bravery and sacrifice of those who served during WWII, and Neil D. Frye’s name will forever be etched in the history of the Greatest Generation.
His burial in Spring Hill, North Carolina, this month marks the conclusion of a long journey for his family, who, like so many others, have waited for decades to bring home a loved one lost in the line of duty. Frye’s sacrifice will never be forgotten, and the recognition of his service helps ensure that the courageous men and women of WWII continue to be honored for their indomitable spirit.
As the community gathers to pay their respects, they will not only remember a fallen sailor but celebrate the legacy of his bravery—a legacy that will live on in the hearts of those who call Spring Hill home.
