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Seth Frias
SethFriasObit

Local Sailor Loses Battle With Cancer

 

Cryptologic Technician 2nd Class Seth Frias, 28, an Azusa, Calif. native, was laid to rest Friday, Oct. 29 at Burwood Cemetery, Escalon, following a service held at Oakdale’s River Oak Grace Community Church. He died Sunday, Oct. 17 in San Diego after a two-year battle with cancer.

Frias was serving at Naval Special Warfare (NSW) Support Activity One in Coronado in August 2008 when he was diagnosed with metastatic Ewing’s sarcoma, a type of bone cancer. Prior to being assigned to NSW, he completed a tour in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

“Seth served his country with a great deal of pride and honor. He was a consummate professional, a great father to his daughter Catherine, and a true shipmate and friend to all of us. Seth will be missed, but never forgotten,” said Master Chief Cryptologic Technician (Networking) Anthony Perez, Frias’ leading chief petty officer.

Despite battling a life-threatening disease, fellow sailors remembered how Frias never let the illness prevent him from his duties.

“Seth was well liked by everyone. He never complained about his illness at work and was very eager to continue making an impact on our operations even while going through treatments. He inspired everyone he worked with,” Perez said.

“He was always professional with his work and took all taskings assigned to him seriously,” added Cryptologic Technician 1st Class Jason Taylor, a sailor who served alongside Frias. “(But) Seth was a jokester. His personality never changed, he was always joking and laughing.”

Frias enlisted in the Navy on Nov. 5, 2002, and graduated from boot camp at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill., in January 2003. He reported directly to naval intelligence training in Pensacola, Fla. to become a cryptologic technician. After two years of training, he reported to Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Hawaii in December 2004. While there, he completed an eight-month individual augmentation deployment to Bagram, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. After his three-year tour, he continued his training in the intelligence community at the Center for Information Dominance detachment on Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas before moving to San Diego. He reported to NSW Support Activity One in April 2008 followed by an assignment to NSW Mission Support Center in May 2009.

During Frias’ distinguished career, he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal, two Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medal, NATO Medal and Marksmanship Medals.

He is survived by his parents, James and Michelle Frias of Oakdale; daughter, Catherine Frias of Modesto; sister, Shaina Frias of San Diego; brother, Judah Frias of Long Beach; grandparents, William and Evelyn Frias of Knights Ferry, Loretta Buie of Oakdale; and great-grandmother, Flossie Buie of Oakdale.