Rear Adm. Frederick J. Metz’s dedicated service and ambition advanced him through the ranks, from sailor to rear admiral in the U.S. Navy. During the Vietnam War, he flew attack and bombing missions in a Grumman A-6 Intruder aircraft off of carriers in the South China Sea. He later led his own A-6 squadron.
On March 28, 2025, Metz’s funeral service at Arlington National Cemetery paid tribute to his rank with an 11-round artillery salvo.
U.S. Navy Chaplain (Lt. Cmdr.) Doyl McMurry told Metz’s family and friends that the admiral had touched many lives, advocated for the Navy community and took great pride in his service. Yet the chaplain added, “I believe with all of my heart that he took more joy from being a father, grandfather and great grandfather.”
Metz’s wife, Jenny, proudly recalled that her husband had flown 5,000 flight hours without an accident. She listed his awards, highlighting those earned by his squadron. “He just incentivized people to go a step above,” she said. “People really had a lot of respect for him.” She added that over the years, she received many letters from sailors and aviators thanking her husband and explaining how much they learned from him.
Christopher and Elaine Bonnie, the couple's neighbors in Virginia Beach, Virginia, remembered how the admiral always stood up for the Navy. “He was always reminding the local municipality to recognize the people at Naval Air Station Oceana,” Christopher Bonnie said, adding that Metz once told him that one of the hardest aspects of his career was writing letters to the families of flyers he lost..
Eldon Swanson, a veteran of Attack Squadron 145, which Metz commanded at Whidbey Island Station, Washington, considered himself fortunate to serve in the unit. “The admiral was a breath of fresh air,” he said. “He was a great leader, and he was really involved with his troops.” Swanson added that both Metz and his wife were professionals. “Together, they made everybody’s life in the squadron better.”
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