ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A World War II veteran from Fairport was honored at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.

Rep. Joe Morelle delivered remarks on the floor of the House of Representatives in memory of U.S. Navy veteran Robert “Al” Persichitti.

“Al embodied the very meaning of the word patriot and his commitment to service over self should inspire us all,” Morelle said.

Persichitti died at age 102 as he was on a ship in May heading to Normandy to mark 80 years since D-Day. On the ship, he started to get sick, was flown to a hospital in Germany, and later died.

News10NBC’s Berkeley Brean spoke with Persichitti’s guardian about his legacy. Persichitti was a sailor on the USS Eldorado, the command ship for the invasion of Iwo Jima. He watched the marines raise the flag on Mount Suribachi, twice. In 2019, when he was 97, he returned to the island.

After the war, he was a carpenter and taught at Edison Tech. He would return to schools his entire life, telling stories about heroes in the war and the lessons learned.

Morelle says: “May we follow the famous advice of General George Patton by not mourning the death of Al but instead thanking God that such a remarkable man lived.”