After 84 years, the remains of U.S. Navy Mess Attendant 3rd Class Neil D. Frye, killed during the Pearl Harbor attack, were identified and returned to his family. His sister, Mary Frye McCrimmon, 87, laid him to rest with full military honors on what would have been his 104th birthday. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency used DNA and anthropological analysis to confirm his identity after years of searching by his family. Frye’s remains were recovered from the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and his name will now be marked with a rosette on the Walls of the Missing.
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John “Paddy” Hemingway, the last surviving Battle of Britain pilot, passed away peacefully at age 105. A decorated RAF pilot, Hemingway participated in pivotal moments of the battle, including providing cover during the Dunkirk evacuation and personally shooting down numerous enemy aircraft. Despite his extraordinary bravery and numerous near-death experiences, including four bailouts, he remained humble about his contributions. His death marks the end of an era, signifying the passing of the last member of “The Few.”
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The names of approximately 425,000 individuals suspected of collaborating with the Nazis during the German occupation of the Netherlands have been published online, for the first time, by the Dutch National Archives. This database, stemming from investigations by the Special Jurisdiction (1944), includes suspects’ names, birthdates, and locations, but omits details of guilt or the nature of alleged collaboration; access to those specifics requires visiting the physical archives. While concerns regarding privacy and potential negative reactions were considered, the government believes this increased accessibility is crucial for confronting the nation’s difficult past.
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John Q. Hosedrinker