A 102-year-old veteran of D-Day passes away during his journey to a commemorative event.
Here's a paraphrased version:
Some of the veterans who participated in D-Day in 1944 have already passed away. However, there are still a few of them attending the 80th anniversary celebrations in France. Former US Marine, Robert "Al" Persichitti, was also making his way to Europe, but he didn't quite make it that far.
Al Persichitti, a 102-year-old Marine veteran from Fairport, New York, had a medical emergency while on a ship headed towards Europe. He was taken to a hospital in Germany on May 30th. Tragically, he passed away in the hospital, as confirmed by long-time friend Father William Leone. "The Lord took him in Germany. He was on his way to France, but he didn't make it," said Leone.
Another friend, Al DeCarlo, who was traveling with Persichitti, told WHAM in Rochester that a doctor was with the elderly ex-soldier in his final moments. She played music from his favorite artist, Frank Sinatra, "and he left us peacefully," said DeCarlo. Leone added, "He had a real zest for life" and used to visit local schools to share his experiences from the war with the children.
The National World War Two Museum in New Orleans had selected Persichitti for participation in the event in Normandy. Excited about the trip, Persichitti told WROC before his journey, "I'm really looking forward to the trip." His cardiologist had given him the green light to travel. The museum arranged and paid for his trip.
Persichitti fought against the Imperial Japanese Army
Al Persichitti enlisted in the Navy in 1942 and served on the USS Eldorado as a radio operator. He was part of the Allied operation in Japan and spent 15 months at sea. According to the BBC, he and DeCarlo were both on Iwo Jima, a Japanese island captured by the US from the Imperial Japanese Army in 1945. Persichitti also served as a junior radio operator in Okinawa and Guam.
After the war, he resettled in Rochester, New York, and spent 40 years working as a shop teacher for the Rochester City School District, teaching students woodworking and other technical skills. He was also a member of the Honor Flight Rochester, an organization that takes veterans to memorials in Washington. In 2020, Persichitti was inducted into the Veterans Hall of Fame of the New York State Senate.
