Navy veteran witnessed raising of American flag at Iwo Jima while serving as a radioman
A World War II Navy veteran has died at the age of 102 while traveling to France to attend a D-Day 80th anniversary event.
Robert "Bob" Persichitti's death, which occurred on Friday, May 31, was confirmed by Honor Flight Rochester – an organization that honors America's Veterans for their sacrifices by flying them to Washington and hosting events.
Persichitti, a New York resident, fought to help put an end to World War II and witnessed the raising of the U.S. flag at Iwo Jima, Rich Stewart, president and CEO of Honor Flight Rochester, told Fox News Digital.
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Stewart said Persichitti became ill last week while traveling on a ship that was en route to Normandy for the D-Day tribute. He was then brought to a hospital in Germany where he died peacefully, Stewart said.
Bob Persichitti, a WWII Navy veteran, is pictured at Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport in New York for an Honor Flight Welcome Home Celebration for Mission 29 on June 16, 2013. Persichitti died on Friday, May 31, while traveling to a D-Day commemoration event. (Honor Flight Rochester)
Stewart said Persichitti was extremely active, in good health and "with it" until the very end.
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Persichitti served as a 2/C Radioman 2nd Class on the command ship USS Eldorado, including tours in the Pacific Theater, Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Guam, according to the New York State Senate's webpage announcing Persichitti's induction into the Veterans Hall of Fame in 2020.
Persichitti is pictured at Thurgood Marshall Airport in Baltimore on the first leg of an Honor Flight trip to Washington for Mission 29 on June 15, 2013. (Honor Flight Rochester)
"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.
In the radio shack where Persichitti was stationed, he was with two Navajos who were top-secret Marine "Code Talkers" who communicated with comrades onshore, Stewart said.
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"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.
A view of members of the United States Marine Corps 5th Division as they raise an American flag on Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945 – a moment that Persichitti witnessed in real time. (Joe Rosenthal/Photo 12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Persichitti grew up in a coal mining town outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and worked as a paperboy to earn money so he could afford transportation to and from high school, according to Stewart.
The closest high school was far from Persichitti's home and on the days he was not able to afford bus tickets, he would hitch rides to class.
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Bob Persichitti witnessed the raising of the U.S. flag at Iwo Jima. He first saw a smaller flag raised, and later, a larger flag. (Honor Flight Rochester; Joe Rosenthal/Photo 12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Stewart said that Persichitti will be missed by many, and he was very involved in Honor Flight Rochester.
"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.
