At last, a Massachusetts sailor who perished at Pearl Harbor receives a fitting burial at Arlington National Cemetery.

Frank Hryniewicz, a 20-year-old Seaman 1st Class from Three Rivers, Massachusetts, was among the 429 U.S. service members killed aboard the USS Oklahoma during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Hryniewicz had joined the Navy just two years prior, eager to explore the world. This month, more than 80 years later, he was finally given a proper burial at Arlington National Cemetery.

For years, the Hryniewicz family held onto a letter written by his older brother following an attack, instructing Hryniewicz to stay in touch and informing him that he had become an uncle. As the youngest of five siblings and the family's baby, Hryniewicz was known for his charm and was often referred to as a ladies' man. His nieces and nephews grew up hearing tales of his daring exploits in the Navy.

Gosh darn it! Why aren't you writing? Last Sunday we learned that Oklahoma had been sent to the bottom of Pearl Harbor, and ever since then we've been on edge, waiting to hear from you or the Navy Department... P.S. Congratulations, you're now an uncle as of last Thursday 8:30 A.M.

Joie Hallstrom, inspired by her uncle Frank's stories of sacrifice, joined the U.S. Navy to fulfill unfinished family business.

Hallstrom stated that his presence in our family had a significant impact on him joining the Navy, as he felt there was unfinished business to be addressed.

On a sunny afternoon in May, the Hryniewicz family, consisting of 10 members, gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to pay tribute to their Uncle Frank. This marked the first time the family had reunited in many years. The Navy bestowed upon him a full military honor.

Overwhelmed by emotion, Frances Griffin, 81, named after her uncle, broke down in tears.

Griffin was taken aback when he began to cry, despite the fact that the information he was discussing was familiar to him and had been passed down through family lore for a long time.

Griffin's father wrote Uncle Frank a letter about her after her older brother was born, and he passed away three days before Hryniewicz's remains were identified.

Griffin stated, "I believe my dad would be conflicted. Although he's thrilled that Uncle Frank is here, he's also saddened by the things he missed in life."

The USS Oklahoma was flipped over by the Japanese during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Hryniewicz and his crew were trapped inside the ship's hull. Days after the attack, sailors could still be heard banging from within the ship. Eventually, 429 sailors on the Oklahoma were declared dead.

The sailors' remains were not recovered until 1944 when the Oklahoma was flipped back over. Initially, only 35 sailors were identified. Sixty-one caskets and 45 graves were disinterred from the National Memorial Cemetery in Honolulu. A single casket contained the partial remains of 100 sailors.

Since 2015, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has been working to identify the remains of those lost on the USS Oklahoma. Carrie LeGarde, project lead for the USS Oklahoma Identification Project, stated that her team was able to identify 362 of the missing service members, meaning 92%.

"To achieve success in this project, we had to allocate a significant amount of time and resources, as stated by LeGarde," said LeGarde.

"It's rewarding to provide answers to so many family members, especially when it involves returning men to their national cemeteries for burial and closing a chapter in their families' history."

The Hryniewicz family felt that their beloved uncle finally got the proper burial.

Hallstrom expressed a profound sense of relief upon bringing their deceased veteran home, stating, "I deeply believe that our veterans, present and deceased, deserve our utmost care and respect for the sacrifices they have made for us."

Hallstrom was moved that her uncle would finally be with his shipmates.

"Being here with him is crucial for me because it ensures that he will never be forgotten. This is a perpetual tribute. Anyone can easily locate him and he's with his shipmates. This fills me with goosebumps. He's surrounded by the people who were most important to him during his service," Hallstrom stated.