Remains of a U.S. Navy sailor killed in Pearl Harbor attack identified

(NBC, KYMA/KECY) - The remains of a U.S. Navy sailor who was killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 have been identified.

U.S. Navy Mess Attendant 3rd Class Neil D. Frye, of Vass, North Carolina, was killed when his ship, the USS West Virginia, was hit during the surprise attack.

Frye's remains were officially accounted for on September 27 of last year, but his family only recently received their full briefing on his identification.

The USS West Virginia sustained multiple torpedo hits during the attack. The ship's crew managed to keep the ship from capsizing, and it came to rest on the shallow harbor floor.

However, 106 sailors on board, including Frye, died in the attack.