Sarkis Tatigian, who began his Navy career at the age of 19 during WWII, passed away earlier this week in the US aged 96, taskandpurpose.com reported.

Tatigian was born in Philadelphia into a family of Armenians who fled to America during the Armenian Genocide.

“His 78-year career sets the record for the longest serving civil servant in Defense Department history, according to Naval Sea Systems Command,” the source noted.