Robert Persichitti served as a radioman second class on the USS Eldorado, responsible for communications during the operations at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. he was on the deck of his ship on February 23, 1945, when he witnessed the famous raising of the U.S. flag by U.S. Marines on Mount Suribachi.
After the war, he taught carpentry in Rochester and frequently visited local schools to share his wartime experiences.
In 2019, at the age of 96, Persichitti returned to Mount Suribachi. "When I got to the island, I just broke down."
Persichitti recalled seeing severe injuries suffered by Marines as they were brought on board his ship as well as numerous burials at sea.
--GreGen
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