104 Year Old WWII Hero Who Helped Liberate the Camps Brings Arena to Its Feet With National Anthem at NHL Game • Jewish Breaking News

Fans attending the game between the New York Islanders and the New York Rangers were treated to a powerful and emotional moment when 104 year old Staff Sergeant Dominick Critelli performed the national anthem on his saxophone before puck drop.

As Critelli finished his performance the crowd erupted into chants of “USA USA.” The veteran saluted the fans before leaving the ice to a standing ovation.

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Critelli served in the 95th Infantry Division and was a member of the 378th Infantry Regiment in an artillery aviation unit that helped liberate Jewish prisoners from Nazi concentration camps during World War II.

In the winter of 1944 Adolf Hitler launched his final major offensive of the war in what became known as the Battle of the Bulge. As German forces surrounded 80,000 American troops in Bastogne General George Patton executed a daring maneuver turning his Third Army ninety degrees and racing north more than one hundred miles with 200,000 men and fewer than 250 tanks to break the encirclement. Critelli’s unit was part of the operation that forced German forces eastward toward the Rhine.

In November 1944 Critelli was among the brave airmen of the 378th Regiment who flew behind enemy lines to drop critical supplies to isolated American troops trapped on the enemy side of a bridgehead. Over a four day period he flew fourteen supply missions delivering food medicine and ammunition with precision. Enemy fire riddled his aircraft with bullet holes as he completed the drops. For his heroic and meritorious service he was awarded the Air Medal.

Critelli spent 151 days in combat and survived the Battle of the Bulge.

During his service he earned the Air Medal the European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three bronze stars the American Theater Medal the World War II Victory Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.