102 Years of Grit, WWII & Building Sylvan Beach with Captain John DePerno

At 102 years old, Captain John DePerno has lived a life most people only read about in history books. In this episode of The Matt & Monica Podcast, Captain John sits down with us at Captain John’s Restaurant & Tiki Bar to share over a century of unforgettable stories.From growing up in Utica and shining shoes during the Great Depression to the heartbreaking day Pearl Harbor was bombed and his mother passed away in his arms, John’s early years were forged in pure resilience. He takes us through his service in World War II carrying a 35-pound machine gun through Europe, the bizarre twist of fate that led him to become a personal typist for his childhood hero Charles Lindbergh, and how he returned home to marry the love of his life.John also pulls back the curtain on how he helped build Sylvan Beach into the destination it is today. Hear the untold story of how he fought town politics to incorporate the Village of Sylvan Beach, introduced classic lakeside attractions like Dunk the Dolly, transformed the historic Forest Home Hotel, and secured critical infrastructure for the community.