Family and friends gather to dedicate Frye Brothers Veterans Memorial Bridge

CLARKSBURG, W.Va (WDTV) - A Clarksburg bridge renamed the Frye Brothers Veterans Memorial Bridge, after a family of brothers from Stonewood that fought during World War II.

The Frye Brothers Veterans Memorial Bridge came to be when Harold Q. “Red” Frye’s daughter worked with former County Commissioner Ron Watson and State Senator Mike Romano to get state legislature to rename the bridge.

Three out of four of the Frye brothers headed overseas to fight in the war.

While the oldest, Thomas G. Frye II, was forced to stay home as he worked in a defense industry. Thomas would be the sole provider for his widowed mother if his brothers died at war.

Kermit C. Frye was drafted to the Navy in 1940. Kermit was killed in action, and his body was lost at sea. This was after his ship was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of South Africa in 1942.

Richard G. Frye was drafted in 1942 and served in the Army in the Africa and Germany combat campaigns.

Harold was also drafted in 1942 to the Army and pushed through several battles before making it home.

“Jumped into the icy waters off of Normandy, surrounded by the bodies of dead comrades. Making it safely to shore despite carrying a 90 pack and having a severe asthma attack,” Watson retold.

After Harold’s years of service, he became a Nursing Assistant at the Veterans Hospital in Clarksburg for 20 years.

Harold’s former physician, Lou Ortenzio, led prayer and shared stories of all the brothers.

“I was a former physician here in Clarksburg, and Harold Q. “Red” Frye was a patient of mine. You know all my years of taking care of him. He never mentioned any of this. I had no idea this heroic story of this family,” Ortenzio explained.

The new road sign was up for people to see as they passed.

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