Beloved 105-year-old WWII vet returns to play national anthem at Islanders game
He’s a national treasure.A beloved 105-year-old World War II Army veteran who went viral for thrilling Islanders-Rangers fans with his stellar saxophone rendition of the national anthem once again had crowds roaring at the Elmont team’s home opener against the New Jersey Devils Saturday.“What this country has done for me, no other country in the world could do — and I mean that,” Long Island centenarian Dominick Critelli told The Post.“I love the USA, and I wouldn’t change it,” he said.The Floral Park super senior’s encore at UBS Arena came after his start turn there last December, when he delivered a performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” that drew rave reviews from fans of the rival hockey teams.He did it again Saturday night, uniting Islanders and New Jersey fans at the game, when he was honored as the game veteran and given a jersey with the number 105 by Isles alum Butch Goring.But Critelli has long been an inspiration.French President Emmanuel Macron knighted him in 2024 for his role in helping liberate the country from Nazi occupation, as the flight mechanic survived the Normandy landings at Utah Beach. He later played a pivotal role, flying 14 death-defying supply and medicine drops behind enemy lines for stranded soldiers during the infamous Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes Forest of Belgium. “We saved a lot of lives,” said Critelli, who was a teacher and also built houses after the war.The Air Medal and three time Bronze Star recipient was such an exemplary soldier that a close friend and ranking officer implored him to re-enlist for another four years, promising a promotion to officer.But Critelli knew it was time to change tunes and come home to his family.He continued performing his jazz specialties stateside for troops and other audiences after combat, well into his golden years — including a September show at a physical therapy facility that treated him for a recent leg injury.“I’ll be alright,” Critelli said...