D-Day Anniversary: World War II veteran dies on way to D-Day commemoration in France

A 102-year-old Navy veteran on his way to take part in the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of D-Day died en route to the ceremony.

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WHEC reported Robert Persichitti was sailing to France as part of a group sponsored by the National World War II Museum. He had flown to Germany from New York before boarding a ship sailing in the North Sea to Normandy when suffered a medical emergency. He had to be airlifted from the ship to a hospital in Germany.

Persichitti had heart issues, but his cardiologist told him to go to the ceremony, WROC reported.

Traveling companion Al DeCarlo said Persichitti did not die alone and that he passed peacefully, according to WHAM.

Persichitti didn’t participate in the D-Day invasion. Instead, he was on board the USS Eldorado as a radioman second class in the Pacific near Iwo Jima. Still, he got to witness history.

“I was the radio operator aboard the ship, and we were offshore a little ways and when they raised that flag, I was on deck that day, and watched them raise that flag twice,” he told WXXI last month.

The flag was raised on Mount Suribachi on the Japanese Island on Feb. 23, 1945.

[ D-Day 80th anniversary: Survivors, leaders meet in Normandy ]

DeCarlo said his friend reminisced about his time in the military with another veteran who held the same job during the war before he had the medical emergency.

“He met another radio man, I think he was from the Army, and they were chatting about things from 80 years ago. It was amazing to watch,” DeCarlo told WHAM.

Honor Flight Rochester called Persichitti “a great friend to many.”

D-Day 80th Anniversary COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Headstones of U.S. military personnel who died during the invasion of Normandy are shown in the early morning light at the Normandy American Cemetery above Omaha Beach on the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 06, 2024 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. U.S. President Joe Biden will join veterans, families, political leaders and military personnel in gathering in Normandy to commemorate D-Day, which paved the way for the Allied victory over Germany in World War II. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 06: U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet American World War II veteran, Bill Toombs, before a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day at the Normandy American Cemetery on June 06, 2024 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Veterans, families, political leaders and military personnel are gathering in Normandy to commemorate D-Day, which paved the way for the Allied victory over Germany in World War II. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 06: American World War II veterans arrive ahead of meeting U.S. President Joe Biden during a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day at the Normandy American Cemetery on June 06, 2024 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Veterans, families, political leaders and military personnel are gathering in Normandy to commemorate D-Day, which paved the way for the Allied victory over Germany in World War II. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Current U.S. military personnel arrive for a ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day at the Normandy American Cemetery above Omaha Beach on June 06, 2024 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. U.S. President Joe Biden will join veterans, families, political leaders and military personnel in gathering in Normandy to commemorate D-Day, which paved the way for the Allied victory over Germany in World War II. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 06: U.S. President Joe Biden greets American World War II veterans before a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day at the Normandy American Cemetery on June 06, 2024 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Veterans, families, political leaders and military personnel are gathering in Normandy to commemorate D-Day, which paved the way for the Allied victory over Germany in World War II. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 06: U.S. President Joe Biden greets American World War II veteran Jake Larson, before a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day at the Normandy American Cemetery on June 06, 2024 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Veterans, families, political leaders and military personnel are gathering in Normandy to commemorate D-Day, which paved the way for the Allied victory over Germany in World War II. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 06: The early morning sun rises at the Normandy American Cemetery above Omaha Beach on the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 06, 2024 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. U.S. President Joe Biden will join veterans, families, political leaders and military personnel in gathering in Normandy to commemorate D-Day, which paved the way for the Allied victory over Germany in World War II. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Visitors pay their respects at the Normandy American Cemetery above Omaha Beach on the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 06, 2024 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. U.S. President Joe Biden will join veterans, families, political leaders and military personnel in gathering in Normandy to commemorate D-Day, which paved the way for the Allied victory over Germany in World War II. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 06: U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden greet American World War II veterans before a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day at the Normandy American Cemetery on June 06, 2024 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Veterans, families, political leaders and military personnel are gathering in Normandy to commemorate D-Day, which paved the way for the Allied victory over Germany in World War II. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 06: U.S. President Joe Biden greets American World War II veteran Bill Toombs before a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day at the Normandy American Cemetery on June 06, 2024 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Veterans, families, political leaders and military personnel are gathering in Normandy to commemorate D-Day, which paved the way for the Allied victory over Germany in World War II. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 06: U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden, greet American World War II veterans before a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day at the Normandy American Cemetery on June 06, 2024 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Veterans, families, political leaders and military personnel are gathering in Normandy to commemorate D-Day, which paved the way for the Allied victory over Germany in World War II. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary ASNELLES, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Royal Marines of 47 Commando land at Gold Beach to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landing on June 06, 2024 in Asnelles, France. June 6th is the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings which saw 156,000 troops from the allied countries including the United Kingdom and the United States join forces to launch an audacious attack on the beaches of Normandy, these assaults are credited with the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary ASNELLES, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Royal Marines of 47 Commando land on Gold Beach to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings on June 06, 2024 in Asnelles, France. June 6th is the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings which saw 156,000 troops from the allied countries including the United Kingdom and the United States join forces to launch an audacious attack on the beaches of Normandy, these assaults are credited with the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary ASNELLES, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Royal Marines of 47 Commando land on Gold Beach to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landing on June 06, 2024 in Asnelles, France. June 6th is the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings which saw 156,000 troops from the allied countries including the United Kingdom and the United States join forces to launch an audacious attack on the beaches of Normandy, these assaults are credited with the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary ASNELLES, FRANCE - JUNE 06: Royal Marines of 47 Commando are greeted by French schoolchildren after they landed on Gold Beach to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings on June 06, 2024 in Asnelles, France. June 6th is the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings which saw 156,000 troops from the allied countries including the United Kingdom and the United States join forces to launch an audacious attack on the beaches of Normandy, these assaults are credited with the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary VER-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 6: Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wheels D-Day veteran Bernard Morgan, 100, from Crewe, as they head to lunch following the Royal British Legion’s commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 06, 2024 in Ver-Sur-Mer, France. Normandy is hosting various events across significant sites such as Pegasus Bridge, Sainte-Mère-Église, and Pointe du Hoc, to officially commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings that took place on June 6, 1944. (Photo by Gareth Fuller - Pool/Getty Images) (Pool/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 06: U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden walk with French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron while arriving at a ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day at the Normandy American Cemetery on June 06, 2024 in Colleville-sur-Mer, France. Veterans, families, political leaders and military personnel are gathering in Normandy to commemorate D-Day, which paved the way for the Allied victory over Germany in World War II. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images) (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary ALREWAS, ENGLAND - JUNE 6: 99-year-old Normandy veteran Simeon Mayou (L) is helped to lay a wreath during a service commemorating Normandy veterans at the Normandy Memorial at The National Arboretum on June 6, 2024 in Alrewas, England. On June 6th, 1944, 156,000 Allied troops landed on the five Normandy beaches in northern France by air and sea. Operation Overlord was the start of Allied operations which went on to liberate Western Europe, defeat Nazi Germany and end the Second World War. The events of that day are known as D-Day. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images) (Carl Court/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary VER-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 6: Members of the audience during the UK Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion’s commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 06, 2024 in Ver-Sur-Mer, France. Normandy is hosting various events across significant sites such as Pegasus Bridge, Sainte-Mère-Église, and Pointe du Hoc, to officially commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings that took place on June 6, 1944. (Photo by Gareth Fuller - Pool/Getty Images) (Pool/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary VER-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 6: D-Day veterans leave following the UK Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion’s commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 06, 2024 in Ver-Sur-Mer, France. Normandy is hosting various events across significant sites such as Pegasus Bridge, Sainte-Mère-Église, and Pointe du Hoc, to officially commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings that took place on June 6, 1944. (Photo by Gareth Fuller - Pool/Getty Images) (Pool/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary COURSEULLES-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 6: Prince William, Prince of Wales, and Prime Minister of France Gabriel Attal lay wreaths at the Government of Canada ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, at Juno Beach on June 6, 2024 in Courseulles-sur-Mer, France. Normandy is hosting a variety of events across significant sites such as Pegasus Bridge, Sainte-Mère-Église, and Pointe du Hoc, leading up to the official commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landing on June 6. (Photo by Jordan Pettitt - Pool/Getty Images) (Pool/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary VER-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 6: President of France Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron attend the UK Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion’s commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 06, 2024 in Ver-Sur-Mer, France. Normandy is hosting various events across significant sites such as Pegasus Bridge, Sainte-Mère-Église, and Pointe du Hoc, to officially commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings that took place on June 6, 1944. (Photo by Gareth Fuller - Pool/Getty Images) (Pool/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary VER-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 6: (left to right) Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Queen Camilla, King Charles III, President of France Emmanuel Macron and Brigitte Macron during the wreath laying at the UK Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion’s commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 06, 2024 in Ver-Sur-Mer, France. Normandy is hosting various events across significant sites such as Pegasus Bridge, Sainte-Mère-Église, and Pointe du Hoc, to officially commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings that took place on June 6, 1944. (Photo by Gareth Fuller - Pool/Getty Images) (Pool/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary VER-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 6: Jason Coward, National Chair, Royal British Legion, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak lay wreaths during the UK Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion’s commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 06, 2024 in Ver-Sur-Mer, France. Normandy is hosting various events across significant sites such as Pegasus Bridge, Sainte-Mère-Église, and Pointe du Hoc, to officially commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings that took place on June 6, 1944. (Photo by Gareth Fuller - Pool/Getty Images) (Pool/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary COURSEULLES-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 6: Prince William, Prince of Wales, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Prime Minister of France Gabriel Attal lay wreaths at the Government of Canada ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, at Juno Beach on June 6, 2024 in Courseulles-sur-Mer, France. Normandy is hosting a variety of events across significant sites such as Pegasus Bridge, Sainte-Mère-Église, and Pointe du Hoc, leading up to the official commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landing on June 6. (Photo by Jordan Pettitt - Pool/Getty Images) (Pool/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary COURSEULLES-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 6: Prince William, Prince of Wales during the Government of Canada ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, at Juno Beach on June 6, 2024 in Courseulles-sur-Mer, France. Normandy is hosting a variety of events across significant sites such as Pegasus Bridge, Sainte-Mère-Église, and Pointe du Hoc, leading up to the official commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landing on June 6. (Photo by Jordan Pettitt - Pool/Getty Images) (Pool/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary ALREWAS, ENGLAND - JUNE 6: 99-year-old Normandy veteran Simeon Mayou (L) carries a wreath to lay in memoriam during a service commemorating Normandy veterans at the Normandy Memorial at The National Arboretum on June 6, 2024 in Alrewas, England. On June 6th, 1944, 156,000 Allied troops landed on the five Normandy beaches in northern France by air and sea. Operation Overlord was the start of Allied operations which went on to liberate Western Europe, defeat Nazi Germany and end the Second World War. The events of that day are known as D-Day. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images) (Carl Court/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary VER-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 6: King Charles III lays a wreath during the UK Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion’s commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 06, 2024 in Ver-Sur-Mer, France. Normandy is hosting various events across significant sites such as Pegasus Bridge, Sainte-Mère-Église, and Pointe du Hoc, to officially commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings that took place on June 6, 1944. (Photo by Gareth Fuller - Pool/Getty Images) (Pool/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary COURSEULLES-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 6: Prince William, Prince of Wales, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Prime Minister of France Gabriel Attal attend the Government of Canada ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, at Juno Beach on June 6, 2024 in Courseulles-sur-Mer, France. Normandy is hosting a variety of events across significant sites such as Pegasus Bridge, Sainte-Mère-Église, and Pointe du Hoc, leading up to the official commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landing on June 6. (Photo by Jordan Pettitt - Pool/Getty Images) (Pool/Getty Images)

D-Day 80th Anniversary VER-SUR-MER, FRANCE - JUNE 6: President of France Emmanuel Macron lays a wreath during the UK Ministry of Defence and the Royal British Legion’s commemorative event at the British Normandy Memorial to mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 06, 2024 in Ver-Sur-Mer, France. Normandy is hosting various events across significant sites such as Pegasus Bridge, Sainte-Mère-Église, and Pointe du Hoc, to officially commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings that took place on June 6, 1944. (Photo by Gareth Fuller - Pool/Getty Images) (Pool/Getty Images)