| Henry Polichetti | |
 Polichetti (age 107, cropped) on his 107th birthday on July 3, 2022. | |
| Birth: | 3 July 1915 Rhode Island, USA |
| Age: | 108 years, 363 days |
| Country: |  USA
|
| Centenarian | |
Henry Polichetti (born 3 July 1915) is an American centenarian who is currently the second-oldest known living man in the United States, behind Eugene Baltes, the second-oldest living American WW2 veteran behind Eugene Baltes, and the oldest known living man in the US state of Rhode Island. He is also the oldest known man ever from Rhode Island.
Biography[]
Henry Polichetti was born in Rhode Island on 3 July 1915 to Italian Immigrant Parents. 4 siblings. He always had a fascination with the Radio. The first Radio his family purchased had earphones resulting in Henry and his siblings often fighting over who could listen. Later on his brother traded the radio in for one that had a speaker which Henry said "Eliminated the problem" he grew up in a cold water flat in Federal Hill at the age of 26 shortly after the attack on pearl harbor he joined the US Navy. He attended night school where he took a course on radio reparing and received his FCC radio license. Henry attended basic training at the Newport Naval Training Station and was assigned to the Naval Radio Operators School in Bedford Springs, Pennsylvania, as an instructor. In December 1943 he was transferred to the Direction Finder School in Casco Bay, Maine which was a top secret school. Henry Taught people how to use LORAN as well as radio detection finders. Radio men were trained on the newly developed H/F cathrode ray direction finder which located U-boats by intercepting their sighting and position reports. While Henry went on ships to adjust equipment and would go out on exercises to see how they operated he referred to himself as "the sailor who never went to sea". According to an officer the reason being was due to him being a amazing instructor. He was transferred to another teaching assignment at the Loran School at the Pacific Fleet Training Center at Pearl Harbor when Germany surrendered in 1945 and anti-submarine warfare operations ended in the Atlantic when Japan surrendered Henry went back home to Rhode island. After Returning he married his girlfriend Eleanor who he had met at the age of 16 through his sister. They moved to Cranston in 1946 where Henry Still lives today. They went on to have two Daughters Eleanor and Barbara and one granddaughter Nicole. After his career in the Navy Henry went on to work as the personal director at Trifari Jewelry in East Providence his work included making a custom necklace for Mamie Eisenhower which she wore at the presidential inaugural ball and is currently on display at the Smithsonian. His Wife Eleanor passed away in 2009. At the age of 107 he could still walk with almost no assistance from a cane or a walket and spent alot of time on his laptop or on the porch reading a book. His daughter Eleanor and her husband had recently moved in with him. He became the oldest living man in Rhode Island when Louis Collmati died on 11 March 2022 and became the oldest living person in Rhode Island when Barbara Barton died When he couldn't buy any He was given free tickets to the 2023 Amry-Navy College Football game where he met with then 98 year old army veteran Rodger Desjardines despite the teams rivalry they were respectful to each other due to their shared connection as WW2 veterans. On 19 June 2024 Henry was visited by the Mayor of Cranston Kenneth Hopkins Henry was also recognized as the oldest living Ww2 Veteran in Rhode Island. at the age of Nealry 109 Henry still reads the New York times and the wall Street Journal Every Day, Loves to talk Politics and gets visited by his Great Grandosn Thomas Henry. He cited good living and moderation as his reasons for longevity. Henry Polichetti currently lives in Cranston, Rhode Island at the age of 108 years, 363 days
References[]
107-year-old is oldest WWII vet in Cranston September 20, 2022
‘We needed each other’: Army, Navy veterans reflect on service ahead of historic game December 8, 2023
What's Henry's Longevity Secret? June 19,2024