International

WW2 veteran aged 102 dies on way to D-Day event

Published

2 years ago

June 6, 2024

Charles Flames

814 Views

by Wale Ewedimi

A World War Two US Navy veteran travelling to France for an event marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings has died, a veteran organisation has confirmed.

Robert “Al” Persichitti from Rochester, New York, was airlifted to a hospital in Germany on 30 May after suffering a medical emergency aboard a ship heading to Europe.

He died the following day, aged 102.

Remembered as a “great, humble man,” Mr Persichitti was involved in the allied operation in Japan.

Honor Flight – a veteran organisation Mr Persichitti belonged to – confirmed his death on social media and said he had “served his country bravely without hesitation”.

The non-profit helps transport former US servicemen to the memorials of the respective wars they fought in.

The 102-year-old was selected to attend the event in Normandy by the National World War Two Museum in New Orleans, which paid for and organised the trip, a local affiliate of CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, reported.

“I’m really excited to be going”, he told broadcaster WROC-TV a day before he set off.

His cardiologist had encouraged him to travel, he added.

Al DeCarlo, who served alongside Mr Persichitti in Japan, was also on the trip. He told local media in Rochester that his friend did not die alone.

“The doctor was with him… he was at peace and he was comfortable,” he said, according to ABC news agency affiliate, WHAM-TV.

“She put his favourite singer, Frank Sinatra, on her phone and he peacefully left us.”

The pair served in Iwo Jima together, a Japanese island the US captured from the country’s imperial army in 1945.

Mr Persichitti’s friend of 46 years, Pastor William Leone, told WHAM-TV “he had a real zest for living” and would visit children in local schools to talk to about his experiences.

The veteran was also a former teacher. In April, students at a local school helped organise a birthday celebration in his honour.

In 2020, he was named an honouree of New York State Senate’s Veteran Hall of Fame by the then Senator Rich Funke.

His local chapter of Honor Flight in Rochester said they will miss him.

International

JUST IN: Pope Leo XIV to Undergo Surgery for Early-Stage Lung Nodule

Published

8 hours ago

October 12, 2026

Charles Flames

9 Views

Pope Leo XIV has announced that he will undergo surgery in the coming days to remove a small, localized nodule found on his lung during a recent routine medical checkup.

The 71-year-old pontiff made the disclosure himself during his weekly Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square. “Doctors found a localized nodule in my lung,” he said. “It was detected at a very early stage and is well-contained.

The doctors believe it is advisable to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to remove it.”

The Vatican confirmed the operation is scheduled for the first days of this week at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, which has a dedicated papal suite. Holy See spokesman Matteo Bruni said the Pope is expected to need about a week to recover. On Monday, the Vatican added that Leo will be admitted Tuesday morning.

The nodule’s nature—whether benign or malignant—has not been specified. Medical experts note that most lung nodules are non-cancerous, and early detection generally carries a favorable outlook.

This marks the first significant health issue of Leo’s papacy since his election in May 2025. The American-born pope, known for remaining physically active, has continued his full schedule of audiences and is still expected to proceed with a planned trip to Latin America next month.

International

‘Up to our people’ to pick leader, Zelenskyy responds to Trump’s pledge for new elections in Ukraine

Russia and Ukraine are locked in a long-range aerial war while their armies remain largely deadlocked on the front line, more than four and a half years after Moscow’s full-scale invasion.

Published

1 day ago

October 11, 2026

OCHEFA

28 Views

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday his country could hold elections if Russia agreed to a 60-day total ceasefire, pushing back against US counterpart Donald Trump’s call for Ukraine to pick a new leader.

“First of all, with all respect to President Trump, it’s up to our society, up to our people to choose one or another leader”, Zelenskyy told ABC News in a televised interview, a day after Trump said Ukraine needed a new president who would agree to end the war.

Zelenskyy said he told Trump’s team that if they really wanted Ukraine to hold elections, “please tell Putin to give us two months, 60 days of total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organise elections”.

“We want peace, we are ready for a ceasefire, we are ready to begin with any kind of steps of de-escalation”, Zelenskyy told ABC in a TV interview.

“And if the Russians want us not to attack their diesel, their refineries, etc., we are asking President Trump to give them a signal not to attack the energy infrastructure of Ukraine”.

Russia and Ukraine are locked in a long-range aerial war while their armies remain largely deadlocked on the front line, more than four and a half years after Moscow’s full-scale invasion.

Euro News