World War Two (WW2) US Navy veteran, Robert “Al” Persichitti from Rochester, New York, passed away while en route to France for an event commemorating the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, a veteran organization has confirmed.
Mr. Persichitti, aged 102, experienced a medical emergency aboard a ship traveling to Europe and was airlifted to a hospital in Germany on May 30. He died the following day.
Remembered as a “great, humble man,” Mr Persichitti was involved in the allied operation in Japan.
Honor Flight, a veteran organisation Mr Persichitti belonged to – confirmed his death on social media and said he had “served his country bravely without hesitation”.
The non-profit helps transport former US servicemen to the memorials of the respective wars they fought in.
The 102-year-old was selected to attend the event in Normandy by the National World War Two Museum in New Orleans, which paid for and organised the trip, a local affiliate of CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, reported.
“I’m really excited to be going”, he told broadcaster WROC-TV a day before he set off.
His cardiologist had encouraged him to travel, he added.
Al DeCarlo, who served alongside Mr Persichitti in Japan, was also on the trip. He told local media in Rochester that his friend did not die alone.
“The doctor was with him… he was at peace and he was comfortable,” he said, according to ABC news agency affiliate, WHAM-TV.
“She put his favourite singer, Frank Sinatra, on her phone and he peacefully left us.”
Mr. Persichitti and his comrade served together on Iwo Jima, a Japanese island captured by the US from Japan’s imperial army in 1945. Pastor William Leone, a friend of 46 years, shared with WHAM-TV that Mr. Persichitti “had a real zest for living” and often visited local schools to share his wartime experiences with children.
Beyond his military service, Mr. Persichitti was a former teacher. In April, students from a local school organized a birthday celebration in his honor. In 2020, he was recognized as an honoree in the New York State Senate’s Veteran Hall of Fame by then-Senator Rich Funke.
His local Honor Flight chapter in Rochester expressed that they will greatly miss him.