A 102-year-old World War II Navy veteran passed away in France while attending a commemoration of D-Day’s 80th anniversary.
Honor Flight Rochester, an organization that honours American veterans for their sacrifices by flying them to Washington and arranging festivities, reported Robert “Bob” Persichitti’s death, which happened on Friday, May 31.
According to Rich Stewart, president and CEO of Honor Flight Rochester, Persichitti, a citizen of New York, saw the raising of the American flag at Iwo Jima and fought to help end World War II.
According to Stewart, Persichitti fell unwell last week while on a ship en way to Normandy for the commemoration of D-Day. Stewart reported that after that, he was taken to a hospital in Germany, where he passed away quietly.
Persichitti, according to Stewart, was quite active, healthy, and “with it” right up until the very end.
According to the webpage of the New York State Senate announcing Persichitti’s induction into the Veterans Hall of Fame in 2020, Persichitti served as a 2/C Radioman 2nd Class on the command ship USS Eldorado, with tours in the Pacific Theater, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and Guam.
“Since attending Rochester Honor Flight Mission 29, he has been active in supporting the goals of this program, working tirelessly as a diplomat, gaining both financial and participatory support,” the site said.
Persichitti was with two Navajos who were top-secret Marine “Code Talkers” who spoke with colleagues on the ground in the radio shack where he was stationed, according to Stewart.
“He without question would show up at every welcome home since Mission 29, when he went as an honor veteran. And now we’re on Mission 84. He would be at the airport well-wishing hooting and hollering, clapping and cheering,” he added.
According to Stewart, Persichitti was raised in a coal mining village outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and earned money as a paperboy to help pay for his transportation expenses to and from high school.
Persichitti’s home was distant from the nearest high school, so on days when he couldn’t afford bus tickets, he would take rides to school.
According to Stewart, Persichitti was heavily involved in Honor Flight Rochester and would be missed by many.
“He was a real regular guy, and we really miss him. He had no errors about him. He was just a comfortable friend to have,” Stewart said.
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