A 102-year-old World War II U.S. Navy veteran passed away on Friday while en route to Normandy, France, for a D-Day memorial event, as announced by the honor flight organization he was associated with.
Persichitti, known for witnessing the iconic raising of the U.S. flag at Iwo Jima, came from Fairport, New York, and was one of the few remaining D-Day veterans.
“I’m really excited to be going,” Persichitti expressed to a local CBS affiliate.
After experiencing an apparent medical issue on the ship, he was airlifted to a hospital in Germany, WHEC 10 reported.
“He died peacefully, and he did not die alone,” Stewart noted.
“The doctor was with him. He was not alone. He was at peace, and he was comfortable,” DeCarlo shared with 13WHAM. “She played his favorite singer, Frank Sinatra, on her phone, and he peacefully departed.”
The eightieth anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy is on Thursday. U.S. President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, Britain’s King Charles III, and other world leaders will be marking the occasion.
Stewart mentioned that Persichitti remained active, even at the age of 102.
“He was fit and upright and got around and had the mental sharpness of someone much younger,” he added. “He was truly remarkable.”
