102-year-old World War II veteran Robert Persichitti passes away while en route to France for D-Day’s 80th anniversary

Robert Persichitti, a 102-year-old World War II US Navy veteran, passed away last week while en route to France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day. According to Honor Flight Rochester, a veteran’s organization, Persichitti was described as a wonderful, pleasant, humble guy who was easy to know and easy to talk to. President and CEO of Honor Flight Rochester, Richard Stewart, expressed his sadness at the loss of his friend.

Although Persichitti died on his way to Normandy, where the Allied forces landed on June 6, 1944, leading to the defeat of Nazi Germany, he served in the Pacific as a radioman aboard the USS Eldorado. His tour of duty included significant battles such as Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and Guam. Persichitti was inducted into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame in 2020.

During a stop in Germany last week, Persichitti fell ill and was airlifted to the hospital, where he passed away soon after. A friend who was traveling with Persichitti, Al DeCarlo, shared that Persichitti was not alone when he passed and was at peace listening to his favorite singer, Frank Sinatra. Despite having heart problems in the past, Stewart noted that Persichitti was in superb health for his age.

Born in a coal mining town outside Pittsburgh, Persichitti had humble beginnings and went on to work as a carpentry teacher in Rochester, New York after the war. He also earned a degree from SUNY Buffalo in 1972. Persichitti enjoyed traveling and sharing his experiences with younger generations, often visiting schools to talk to students about World War II. Pastor William Leone expressed his sadness at the loss of Persichitti, describing it as a privilege to know him and expressing how much he will be missed.