A World War II Navy veteran who was headed to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day passed away on his way to the event.
Robert "Al" Persichitti of Fairport, New York became ill on a ship heading to France when he became ill.
He was airlifted to a hospital in Germany according to WHEC-TV. He died in the hospital.
The group Honor Flight Heroes called him a "great, humble man who served his country bravely without hesitation."
Persichitti served as a radioman in the Pacific Theatre and was not involved in the Normandy invasion.
He worked in President Roosevelt's Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps before the war. He later became a teacher in the Rochester City School District.
He wrote a 2015 autobiography, "Building an American Life."
Persichitti was named to the New York State Senate's Veterans Hall of Fame in 2020.
