Robert Persichitti, a 102-year-old World War II Navy veteran, died last week while on his way to Normandy, France, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
Persichitti served as a radio man on the command ship USS Eldorado, according to his biography on the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame.
“His tour of duty included the Pacific Theater, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and Guam,” the biography reads.
Persichitti was traveling to Normandy by ship with a veterans’ group when he became ill and was airlifted to a hospital in Germany, NBC News reported Thursday. He died at the hospital while listening to his favorite artist, Frank Sinatra.
102-year-old WWII vet from New York dies while traveling to D-Day ceremony in France.
Robert Persichitti suffered a medical episode while on a ship en route to Normandy, was airlifted to a hospital in Germany and “died peacefully” to music by his favorite artist, Frank Sinatra.… pic.twitter.com/yklfL2Um13— 𓂀 𝕋𝔼𝔸ℍ 𓂀 (@TeahCartel) June 6, 2024
“Bob flew on Honor Flight Rochester Mission #29 in June 2013 to the memorials in Washington, D.C.,” Richard Stewart, president of the veterans organization Honor Flight Rochester, said in a statement to People magazine. “He was a great friend to all of us since our hub’s founding in 2008 and a very active participant in our many activities and events.
“In particular, Bob welcomed home at the Rochester Airport each returning mission filled with aging heroes,” Stewart continued. “Bob will be sorely missed.”
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Persichitti taught carpentry in the Rochester, New York, school system after the war, according to his biography. He often visited schools to share his experiences in the war, giving students “firsthand access to a rare and historical gift.”
“He taught us how to live every day to the fullest and he left his tank empty,” Al DeCarlo, a friend of Persichitti’s, told WHEC.