Charles E "Chuck" Frye, Sr.

OZARK… Command Sergeant Major Charles “Chuck” E. Frye Sr. was born in Greene County, Mississippi on January 23,1931. He passed peacefully at the Command Sergeant Major Bennie Adkins State Veterans Home on February 21st, 2025.

 He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter Sr and Stella Frye. His wife of seventy years Frances M (Nell) Frye, daughter Paula G Morgan and son James E. Frye, brothers Leroy, Henry, Walter Jr. (Preacher), Cecil & James, sisters Maxine, Elvalou, Ophelia & Daisy. He is survived by his daughter Joan K. Brown and son Charles E. Frye Jr (Deborah), twelve grandchildren, twenty-three great-grandchildren, seven great great-grandchildren.

 Chuck volunteered to join the United States Army in 1949 shortly after graduating from Leakesville High School, in Leakesville Mississippi. He served honorably for over twenty-six years at numerous stateside overseas locations, in peacetime and combat, until retiring in 1975, as a Command Sergeant Major, USAC, Alaska. Chuck was a founding member the Wiregrass Sergeants Major Association and the association’s honorary president in perpetuity.

He was a veteran of the Korean War where he served with the 7th Infantry Division and served two tours in Vietnam with the 145th Aviation Battalion and 1st Cavalry Division. His assignments included 3rd Armored Division, 3rd Infantry Division, Sergeant Major for the Army Aviation Test Board, and Command Sergeant Major duties with 145th Aviation Battalion (RVN), 227th Aviation Battalion (RVN), 33rd Signal Brigade, and 1st Aviation Brigade.

Chuck’s numerous awards and decorations include the Combat Infantry Badge, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star (4), Meritorious Service Medal (2), Air Medal (5), Army Commendation Medal (3), GCM (7), National Defense Service Medal (5), Army of Occupation Medal (Japan), Korean Service Medal (7 Campaign Stars), UN Korean Service Medal, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit of Citation Medal, and RVN Gallantry Cross w/Palm Unit Citation, and the Army Valorous and Meritorious Unit Awards. Chuck Frye was a Mason for fifty-eight years. He was initiated September 15, 1967, an Entered Apprentice, then passed to Fellowcraft on October 6, 1967, and raised to the Sublime Degree of Master of Mason on October 20, 1967.

 A service honoring the life of Mr. Frye will take place at Fuqua Bankston Funeral Home in Ozark, Alabama, with visitation on Thursday, February 27th from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M., and the funeral service on Friday, February 28th at 2pm. 

 In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to the Army Emergency Relief and the Claybank Lodge #908 Ozark, AL.