Fairport resident Pete DuPre, the World War II veteran whose amazing harmonica renditions of patriotic songs earned him the title Harmonica Pete, died Tuesday his family announced. He was 98.
Town Supervisor Ciaran Hanna has ordered flags at Perinton Town Hall to be lowered to half-staff in Pete’s honor starting Thursday.
“Pete is not only a legend in our Town, but he is a national treasure,” Hanna said. “I am honored that I could call him a friend. His passing is a great loss for this community, but his patriotic spirit will continue in the memories he made for so many.”
Pete became an internet sensation in 2019 when in May he played the national anthem on his harmonica at the U.S. women’s soccer team’s international game against Mexico in New Jersey. ESPN captured the moment on video.
Twenty-Six thousand fans in the stands stood in stunned silence. The video had been viewed by millions even before Pete came home May 27 to play in the Fairport/Perinton Memorial Day parade.
Pete was a medical and surgical tech in the Army from 1943-45. He was training during D-Day, but was on hand to help victims of the Battle of the Bulge. He started playing the harmonica in 1933 and his commanders used him to help soldiers keep pace on the 26 out, 26 back marches.
His life changed forever in 1942 while he was going to high school at Edison Tech in Rochester. The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and in the process hit the Navy’s warehouse where they stored all their binoculars.
The binoculars were made by Bausch & Lomb and were sent back to Rochester to quickly be fixed or replaced. B&L hired as many high school seniors as they could to work full-time and fill the order.
Pete was hired and worked next to a girl from Franklin High. That turned out to be Jane Szelag, who he would be married to for 70 years.
The couple had five children, five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Jane, unfortunately, passed away in 2014.
After Jane died, doctors told Pete’s children he needed to find something to occupy his time.
Harmonica Pete was born.
Pete met Fairport’s Jean Kelly and she suggested he get involved with the Greatest Generation Foundation.
The foundation has sent Pete all over the country to play his music. He has gone viral multiple times including in 2015 with a video of him playing on the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor on the 75th anniversary of the attack.
“I believe his relationship with the veterans he plays for is the next thing he is here (on Earth) for,’’ Pete’s daughter Mary Ann said recently. “As a medic in World War II, he saw a lot of death. His view of death makes it easier for him to deal with loss.”
Pete took it from there and ran with it.
“History books fade and so do we,’’ Pete said recently. “I want to make sure we stay in the spotlight. I’m a one-man ambassador for World War II vets. I’m certainly not in this for financial reasons. I just enjoy having the chance to honor veterans.”
