Posted on Feb 19, 2021
Biography of Sgt. John Basilone – Buffalo Medal of Honor Park
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On February 19, 1945, John Basilone, American Marine (Medal of Honor at the Battle for Henderson Field), was killed in action at Iwo Jima at the age of 26. From the article:
"Biography of Sgt. John Basilone
Sgt. John Basilone lived with honor, integrity, and patriotism. Read his bio below.
Early Life
Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone was the sixth child born to Italian immigrants Salvatore Basilone and Dora Bengivenga in Buffalo, NY and raised in Raritan, New Jersey. Basilone was a well known United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant who received the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Battle for Henderson Field in the Guadalcanal Campaign and also received the Navy Cross posthumously for extraordinary heroism during the Battle of Iwo Jima. He was the only enlisted Marine to receive both of these decorations in World War II.
During his childhood, John Basilone ‘s teachers described him as “the most talkative boy in the class” and his sister, Phyllis, admitted that he “couldn’t seem to buckle down to his studies”. After graduating from St. Bernard Parochial School at 15 years old, John Basilone dropped out of high school in favor of joining the military. With his lack of schooling and difficulty with books, as well as living in a down economy, Basilone decided that going into the Army might be a way of escaping the jobless Raritan. Not yet eighteen, he needed parental approval which took considerable convincing of his father.
Life in the Army
Basilone enlisted in the United States Army in July 1934 and completed his three-year enlistment with service in the Philippines, where he was a champion boxer. He began by boxing and generally “horsing around” with his friends as a way to blow off steam. Eventually, Basilone began fighting in service bouts as a 160 pound middleweight and later a light heavyweight at 175 pounds. His fights brought recognition from his fellow soldiers to the esteemed war hero General Douglas MacArthur. His undefeated track record would later be outshined by his extraordinary heroism, although his fighting nickname “Manila John” would forever stick.
Basilone returned home after he was released from active service, and served as a truck driver in Reisterstown, Maryland. However, it was clear to him that something was missing. His nephew Jerry Cutter later summed it up, supposedly in his uncle’s words: “I had lost the life, the calling I had found. I wasn’t a soldier anymore. I was lost. ” After a few years at home, Basilone decided to go back to Manila and believed he could get there more easily by serving in the Marines rather than in the Army. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on 11 July 1940.
Life in the Marine Corps.
John Basilone was sent to recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, followed by training at Marine Corps Base Quantico and New River. The Marines then sent him to Guantánamo Bay, Cuba for his next assignment, and then to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands as a member of “D” Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. It was then, at Guadalcanal, that Basilone earned the title of War Hero.
Guadalcanal and the Battle for Henderson Field
On 24 October 1942, during the Battle for Henderson Field, his unit was assaulted by over 3,000 soldiers from the Japanese Sendai Division. Basilone commanded two sections of machine guns which fought for two days until only Basilone and two other Marines were left standing. Private First Class Nash W. Phillips, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, recalled: “Basilone had a machine gun on the go for three days and nights without sleep, rest, or food. He was in a good emplacement, and causing the Japanese lots of trouble, not only firing his machine gun, but also using his pistol.”
War Bond Tour
In 1943, Basilone returned back to the United States where the federal government set up a “Back the Attack!” war bond-selling tour. Tour organizers praised Basilone for drawing
crowds who bought bonds worth millions of dollars. However, it was clear to everyone that Basilone hated the war bond tour, and wanted to return to the Pacific, to the fighting, and to his friends. His initial request to go back to the war was rejected and he was told he was essential in selling more war bonds. He was given a commission which he declined, and was later offered an assignment as an instructor, which he also refused. Finally, on Basilone’s second request, he was approved to return to the Pacific. On 27 December 1943, he left for Camp Pendleton and reenlisted in the Marine Corps on 3 July 1944.
Iwo Jima
After his application to return to the fleet was accepted, Basilone was assigned to the “C” Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division. On February 19, 1945, the first day of the invasion of Iwo Jima, also famously “D-Day” nearly 6,000 miles across the globe, John Basilone landed with other marine forces. Basilone is known for single handedly destroying a Japanese blockhouse as well as fighting his way towards Airfield Number 1 to aid a Marine tank that had been trapped in an enemy mine field. John Basilone lost his life to Japanese mortar shrapnel and bursts of small arms fire which struck him as he was moving along the edge of the airfield. Basilone was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross and the Purple Heart for valor in combat.
John Basilone currently rests in Arlington National Cemetery.
Medal of Honor citation:
“For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Lunga Area. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 October 1942. While the enemy was hammering at the Marines’ defensive positions, Sgt. Basilone, in charge of 2 sections of heavy machine guns, fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault. In a fierce frontal attack with the Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sgt. Basilone’s sections, with its guncrews, was put out of action, leaving only 2 men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire, repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrived. A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. Basilone, at great risk of his life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way through hostile lines with urgently needed shells for his gunners, thereby contributing in large measure to the virtual annihilation of a Japanese regiment. His great personal valor and courageous initiative were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.”
Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone was the sixth child born to Italian immigrants Salvatore Basilone and Dora Bengivenga in Buffalo, NY and raised in Raritan, New Jersey. Basilone was a well known United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant who received the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Battle for Henderson Field in the Guadalcanal Campaign and also received the Navy Cross posthumously for extraordinary heroism during the Battle of Iwo Jima. He was the only enlisted Marine to receive both of these decorations in World War II."
"Biography of Sgt. John Basilone
Sgt. John Basilone lived with honor, integrity, and patriotism. Read his bio below.
Early Life
Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone was the sixth child born to Italian immigrants Salvatore Basilone and Dora Bengivenga in Buffalo, NY and raised in Raritan, New Jersey. Basilone was a well known United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant who received the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Battle for Henderson Field in the Guadalcanal Campaign and also received the Navy Cross posthumously for extraordinary heroism during the Battle of Iwo Jima. He was the only enlisted Marine to receive both of these decorations in World War II.
During his childhood, John Basilone ‘s teachers described him as “the most talkative boy in the class” and his sister, Phyllis, admitted that he “couldn’t seem to buckle down to his studies”. After graduating from St. Bernard Parochial School at 15 years old, John Basilone dropped out of high school in favor of joining the military. With his lack of schooling and difficulty with books, as well as living in a down economy, Basilone decided that going into the Army might be a way of escaping the jobless Raritan. Not yet eighteen, he needed parental approval which took considerable convincing of his father.
Life in the Army
Basilone enlisted in the United States Army in July 1934 and completed his three-year enlistment with service in the Philippines, where he was a champion boxer. He began by boxing and generally “horsing around” with his friends as a way to blow off steam. Eventually, Basilone began fighting in service bouts as a 160 pound middleweight and later a light heavyweight at 175 pounds. His fights brought recognition from his fellow soldiers to the esteemed war hero General Douglas MacArthur. His undefeated track record would later be outshined by his extraordinary heroism, although his fighting nickname “Manila John” would forever stick.
Basilone returned home after he was released from active service, and served as a truck driver in Reisterstown, Maryland. However, it was clear to him that something was missing. His nephew Jerry Cutter later summed it up, supposedly in his uncle’s words: “I had lost the life, the calling I had found. I wasn’t a soldier anymore. I was lost. ” After a few years at home, Basilone decided to go back to Manila and believed he could get there more easily by serving in the Marines rather than in the Army. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on 11 July 1940.
Life in the Marine Corps.
John Basilone was sent to recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, followed by training at Marine Corps Base Quantico and New River. The Marines then sent him to Guantánamo Bay, Cuba for his next assignment, and then to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands as a member of “D” Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. It was then, at Guadalcanal, that Basilone earned the title of War Hero.
Guadalcanal and the Battle for Henderson Field
On 24 October 1942, during the Battle for Henderson Field, his unit was assaulted by over 3,000 soldiers from the Japanese Sendai Division. Basilone commanded two sections of machine guns which fought for two days until only Basilone and two other Marines were left standing. Private First Class Nash W. Phillips, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, recalled: “Basilone had a machine gun on the go for three days and nights without sleep, rest, or food. He was in a good emplacement, and causing the Japanese lots of trouble, not only firing his machine gun, but also using his pistol.”
War Bond Tour
In 1943, Basilone returned back to the United States where the federal government set up a “Back the Attack!” war bond-selling tour. Tour organizers praised Basilone for drawing
crowds who bought bonds worth millions of dollars. However, it was clear to everyone that Basilone hated the war bond tour, and wanted to return to the Pacific, to the fighting, and to his friends. His initial request to go back to the war was rejected and he was told he was essential in selling more war bonds. He was given a commission which he declined, and was later offered an assignment as an instructor, which he also refused. Finally, on Basilone’s second request, he was approved to return to the Pacific. On 27 December 1943, he left for Camp Pendleton and reenlisted in the Marine Corps on 3 July 1944.
Iwo Jima
After his application to return to the fleet was accepted, Basilone was assigned to the “C” Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division. On February 19, 1945, the first day of the invasion of Iwo Jima, also famously “D-Day” nearly 6,000 miles across the globe, John Basilone landed with other marine forces. Basilone is known for single handedly destroying a Japanese blockhouse as well as fighting his way towards Airfield Number 1 to aid a Marine tank that had been trapped in an enemy mine field. John Basilone lost his life to Japanese mortar shrapnel and bursts of small arms fire which struck him as he was moving along the edge of the airfield. Basilone was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross and the Purple Heart for valor in combat.
John Basilone currently rests in Arlington National Cemetery.
Medal of Honor citation:
“For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Lunga Area. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 October 1942. While the enemy was hammering at the Marines’ defensive positions, Sgt. Basilone, in charge of 2 sections of heavy machine guns, fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault. In a fierce frontal attack with the Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sgt. Basilone’s sections, with its guncrews, was put out of action, leaving only 2 men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire, repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrived. A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. Basilone, at great risk of his life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way through hostile lines with urgently needed shells for his gunners, thereby contributing in large measure to the virtual annihilation of a Japanese regiment. His great personal valor and courageous initiative were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.”
Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone was the sixth child born to Italian immigrants Salvatore Basilone and Dora Bengivenga in Buffalo, NY and raised in Raritan, New Jersey. Basilone was a well known United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant who received the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Battle for Henderson Field in the Guadalcanal Campaign and also received the Navy Cross posthumously for extraordinary heroism during the Battle of Iwo Jima. He was the only enlisted Marine to receive both of these decorations in World War II."
Biography of Sgt. John Basilone – Buffalo Medal of Honor Park
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Medal of Honor
WWII World War Two
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Military History
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US Marine John Basilone Congressional Medal Of Honor
Gunnery Sergeant John "Manila John" Basilone, United States Marine Corps, (November 4, 1916--February 19, 1945), received the Medal of Honor for his actions ...
Thank you my friend SGT (Join to see) for reminding us that on February 19, 1945 U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone was killed in action at Iwo Jima at the age of 26.
He had been awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism during the battle for Henderson Airfield on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.
US Marine John Basilone Congressional Medal Of Honor
Gunnery Sergeant John "Manila John" Basilone, United States Marine Corps, (November 4, 1916--February 19, 1945), received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Guadalcanal during World War II.
He held off 3,000 Japanese troops at Guadalcanal, after his 15-member unit was reduced to three men. Basilone was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of Iwo Jima, after which he was posthumously honored with the Navy Cross. He is the only enlisted Marine in World War II to have received the Medal of Honor, the Navy Cross, and a Purple Heart. Basilone is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYWCEQNudt4
Images:
1. 1942 John Basilone MOH
2. 1942 A machine position on Guadalcanal. During a Japanese attack in 1942 Basilone picked up a .30-caliber machine gun, ran 200 yards
3. John Basilone
4. 1945 John Basilone's headstone in Arlington National Cemetery section 12 site 384
Background from {{http://www.raritan-online.com/bio-all.htm]}
The Story of Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone
Early Life
John Basilone was born on November 4th, 1916. He grew up in the small town of Raritan, New Jersey. As a child, John was restless and had a sense of adventure from the beginning. After he graduated from 8th grade, John elected not to go to high school. He told people he was looking for adventure. However, after a few years, he had not yet found his adventure. So in 1934, he joined the Army, serving in the Philippines at the U.S. base in the city of Manila. It was during his tenure in the Army where John discovered a mechanical talent for guns, especially machine guns. He also learned to be a leader of men - with the ability to motivate and lead other soldiers. After his 3 year stint in the Army ended in 1937, John returned home to Raritan New Jersey, but after a couple years, he found himself restless and again searching for adventure. He decided to re-enlist in the service, but this time he would join the Marines.
Guadalcanal
In August of 1942, (10 months into World War II for the U.S.) his group was sent to the island of Guadalcanal. The U.S. and Japanese were battling for the island The U.S. had secured an important airstrip Henderson Field which the Japanese were determined to take. The Marines had only a fraction of the troops compared to the Japanese. Only a single U.S. Battalion stood between the readying Japanese Division and Henderson field. John Basilone was in charge of 16 men. They set up a defensive position with 4 heavy machine guns in front of Henderson Field. On October 24th, the Japanese launched a massive attack. John set the strategy for his unit. He told his men to let the enemy get within 30 yards and then “let them have it.” They fired at the first group of attacking Japanese, successfully wiping them out. This first charge was only the beginning of the overall enemy attack. They charged several more times. Eventually this attack took it’s toll. John, while manning the left two machine guns, heard a loud explosion come from the right setup of the machine guns. Moments later, one soldier from the right side crawled over and informed him that both right guns were knocked out and that the crew was all dead or injured. John knew he had to get to the knocked out guns to see if he could get them working. The first gun was beyond repair, but the second gun had a chance. There was no light to aid in examining the damaged gun. John would have to troubleshoot the problem in the dark, by feeling the parts to find out what was causing the gun not to fire. John quickly had the gun working again. As soon as it was back in action, the enemy charged. With the extra gun now working, Basilone and his unit easily beat back the Japanese attack. The attacks kept coming. John told two of his remaining soldiers to keep the heavy machine guns loaded. John would roll to one machine gun and fire until it was empty, then roll over to the other one that had been loaded while he was firing the first one. At about 3 AM they were almost out of ammunition. The Marines had stored ammunition about 100 yards away. However, this would be a difficult 100 yards. There were enemy troops on both the sides and behind their position. John ran and crawled through the jungle. Bullets flew off over his head and grenades exploded around him. But he continued and made it to the ammo dump. John threw six heavy cartridge belts over his soldier. As he started back to his men, bullets were whizzing all around him again. But he made it back and soon he found another challenge. One machine gun had been smashed. John took parts from another knocked out gun and fixed it quickly. Later in the night, the ammunition ran low again. John would need to go for more, but this time it would be to another ammunition dump, 600 yards away. Once again the Japanese threw everything at him, but he snaked through the grass well enough so that the Japanese could not find a clear target. John made it back with the much needed ammunition which held off the enemy attacks. Finally the attacks ended around sunrise. The daylight revealed a scene of utter carnage on the ground. Hundreds of bodies laid dead in front of the American positions, In fact, the entire Japanese regiment, around 3000 men, had been “annihilated”. On this night of October 24th, and 25th the U.S. had turned the tide of the war and the previously undefeated Japanese were on their way to defeat. For his heroics that night John was awarded The Congressional Medal of Honor.
Bond Tour
In July of 1943, John was informed that he was being sent home, but there was a catch to it. John would have to go on a “bond drive”. As John loaded up to go home, he told his buddies he would be back, but they did not believe him. His men figured that with his medal, he could get a safe assignment at home for the rest of the war. His home town of Raritan planned a homecoming parade in his honor. It was held on Sunday, September 19th, 1943. The people of the small town of Raritan were amazed that such a big event came their town. There were 30,000 people, including many politicians, numerous celebrities, and the national press. Life Magazine ran a four page story on the parade. Even the Fox Movietone News video taped the event making a newsreel that was shown at movie theatres throughout the country As a hero, John was worshipped and wined and dined. John said that the admiration and attention was appreciated, but he was a soldier, and that he had given his word to his men that he would be back. John officially asked to go back to his men, but was initially denied. He was told that they needed him more on the home front. He was offered a commission (an officer’s job), but he turned it down, saying he was a plain soldier. He was offered a job as an gunnery instructor. To John, these soft, easy assignments did not seem right. He had a strong sense of purpose, and a safe easy job while there was a war going on was not his idea of being a Marine. After a few months he asked again to go back overseas and this time he was granted his wish. For his assignment, Basilone was to report to Camp Pendleton in California to train with a group that was preparing to invade an island in the Pacific. So on December 27th, 1943, John left the easy life of a hero on the home front to return to the soldiers who would soon go back overseas to engage the enemy.
Iwo Jima
While at Camp Pendleton John met a woman Marine Sergeant Lena Mae Riggi and love blossomed. After dating for several months, they married on July 10th, 1944. Just one month later, on August 11th, 1944, orders were given for the Marines to ship out of Camp Pendleton. John packed up and said good-bye to his new wife, boarded his ship, and sailed with the rest of the Marines for Iwo Jima
On February 19th, 1945 the Marines arrived at Iwo Jima and were ready to attack., The Navy had bombarded the island for 36 days. Some Marines hoped this intense bombing would allow them to take the island with little resistance. However, there were 22,000 Japanese warriors who were well dug in, heavily armed, and prepared to die. The first U.S. invasion force landed on the beach at 9:05 AM. John Basilone’s group landed around 9:30 AM. They were surprised to find little opposition. The Marines got up on the beach and noticed that their feet could barely move in the soft black volcanic sand of Iwo Jima. For one hour, the U.S. was able to get their transports up to the beach and unload the men without major resistance. Then, with the beach crowded with U.S. soldiers, the Japanese began their counter attack. Suddenly the Japanese from their hidden blockhouses began firing away at the exposed U.S. troops. The Marines were getting annihilated. Survivors later wondered how anyone survived the initial Japanese barrage. The U.S. forces were on the beach, but they had little or no cover, were still disorganized, and had not yet gotten enough heavy equipment ashore to defend against this type of attack. The troops had trained for years, but nothing could prepare them for what was happening all around them. The soldiers would later say how frustrated they were that they could not see the enemy to fight back. The Japanese counterattack had stalled the U.S. invasion. Most Marines were hiding in the sand. The beach was littered with damaged vehicles, equipment, and dead soldiers. The invasion was not moving. Brave men with leadership ability were needed to rally the troops. John Basilone rose to the occasion. Many survivors of the battle recall that in the midst of the battle, with everyone hunkered down in the sand, there was one Marine out in the open, running around, directing men. It was John Basilone. He first guided a tank out of a mine field. Only a few tanks came a shore and they were needed to knock out Japanese blockhouses. John had noticed a particular Japanese bunker had been effectively shooting mortar shells and raging deadly fire upon the U.S. troops. This enemy strong position “had to go”. John found and organized some machine gunners along with demolition men and directed them toward the bunker. John Basilone instructed a demolition man to blow a hole in the concrete structure, while others gave cover against other nearby enemy positions. A large explosion went off opening part of the bunker. Basilone then told the enthused machine gunners to hold their fire and directed a flamethrower operator to charge the pit. The brave flamethrower charged the pit as quickly as he could, stuck his nozzle in the pit and ignited the flame. Some of the Japanese soldiers ran out of the pit screaming as they tried to wipe away the jellied gasoline that was burning them. John Basilone cut them down with a machine gun. Fellow soldier, Charles Tatum, said “for me and others … who saw Basilone’s leadership and courage during our assault, his example was overwhelming.” After knocking out the bunker, Basilone led twenty men off the exposed beach area to a location where they could take some cover and plan their next move. He ordered the men to stay while he went back to get more men and some heavy machine guns. John Basilone gathered some troops and weapons and started back across the beach to the waiting soldiers. But John was hit with a Japanese mortar shell which landed right in the middle of him and the men he was leading. He died from his wounds around thirty minutes later.
________________________________________
For his actions that day, John Basilone was awarded The Navy Cross. The military paid tribute to John by naming a ship after him. An anti-submarine Navy Destroyer, the U.S.S. Basilone was commissioned on July 26th, 1949. His home town of Raritan honors him every year with a parade. The first parade was in 1981. For 22 years, the parade has been held, rain or shine. It attracts thousands of spectators. It is the pride of the town of Raritan. John Basilone remains the only soldier (non-officer) in U.S. history to be awarded both The Congressional Medal of Honor and The Navy Cross. He is also the only Medal of Honor winner to go back into combat and be killed in combat.
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs SMSgt Lawrence McCarter SPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D GySgt Thomas Vick SGT Denny Espinosa SSG Stephen Rogerson SPC Matthew Lamb LTC (Join to see) Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D. PO1 William "Chip" Nagel PO2 (Join to see) SSG Franklin Briant SPC Woody Bullard TSgt David L. MSgt Robert "Rock" AldiMSG Glen MillerSPC Michael Duricko, Ph.D SPC Michael Terrell
He had been awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism during the battle for Henderson Airfield on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.
US Marine John Basilone Congressional Medal Of Honor
Gunnery Sergeant John "Manila John" Basilone, United States Marine Corps, (November 4, 1916--February 19, 1945), received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Guadalcanal during World War II.
He held off 3,000 Japanese troops at Guadalcanal, after his 15-member unit was reduced to three men. Basilone was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of Iwo Jima, after which he was posthumously honored with the Navy Cross. He is the only enlisted Marine in World War II to have received the Medal of Honor, the Navy Cross, and a Purple Heart. Basilone is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYWCEQNudt4
Images:
1. 1942 John Basilone MOH
2. 1942 A machine position on Guadalcanal. During a Japanese attack in 1942 Basilone picked up a .30-caliber machine gun, ran 200 yards
3. John Basilone
4. 1945 John Basilone's headstone in Arlington National Cemetery section 12 site 384
Background from {{http://www.raritan-online.com/bio-all.htm]}
The Story of Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone
Early Life
John Basilone was born on November 4th, 1916. He grew up in the small town of Raritan, New Jersey. As a child, John was restless and had a sense of adventure from the beginning. After he graduated from 8th grade, John elected not to go to high school. He told people he was looking for adventure. However, after a few years, he had not yet found his adventure. So in 1934, he joined the Army, serving in the Philippines at the U.S. base in the city of Manila. It was during his tenure in the Army where John discovered a mechanical talent for guns, especially machine guns. He also learned to be a leader of men - with the ability to motivate and lead other soldiers. After his 3 year stint in the Army ended in 1937, John returned home to Raritan New Jersey, but after a couple years, he found himself restless and again searching for adventure. He decided to re-enlist in the service, but this time he would join the Marines.
Guadalcanal
In August of 1942, (10 months into World War II for the U.S.) his group was sent to the island of Guadalcanal. The U.S. and Japanese were battling for the island The U.S. had secured an important airstrip Henderson Field which the Japanese were determined to take. The Marines had only a fraction of the troops compared to the Japanese. Only a single U.S. Battalion stood between the readying Japanese Division and Henderson field. John Basilone was in charge of 16 men. They set up a defensive position with 4 heavy machine guns in front of Henderson Field. On October 24th, the Japanese launched a massive attack. John set the strategy for his unit. He told his men to let the enemy get within 30 yards and then “let them have it.” They fired at the first group of attacking Japanese, successfully wiping them out. This first charge was only the beginning of the overall enemy attack. They charged several more times. Eventually this attack took it’s toll. John, while manning the left two machine guns, heard a loud explosion come from the right setup of the machine guns. Moments later, one soldier from the right side crawled over and informed him that both right guns were knocked out and that the crew was all dead or injured. John knew he had to get to the knocked out guns to see if he could get them working. The first gun was beyond repair, but the second gun had a chance. There was no light to aid in examining the damaged gun. John would have to troubleshoot the problem in the dark, by feeling the parts to find out what was causing the gun not to fire. John quickly had the gun working again. As soon as it was back in action, the enemy charged. With the extra gun now working, Basilone and his unit easily beat back the Japanese attack. The attacks kept coming. John told two of his remaining soldiers to keep the heavy machine guns loaded. John would roll to one machine gun and fire until it was empty, then roll over to the other one that had been loaded while he was firing the first one. At about 3 AM they were almost out of ammunition. The Marines had stored ammunition about 100 yards away. However, this would be a difficult 100 yards. There were enemy troops on both the sides and behind their position. John ran and crawled through the jungle. Bullets flew off over his head and grenades exploded around him. But he continued and made it to the ammo dump. John threw six heavy cartridge belts over his soldier. As he started back to his men, bullets were whizzing all around him again. But he made it back and soon he found another challenge. One machine gun had been smashed. John took parts from another knocked out gun and fixed it quickly. Later in the night, the ammunition ran low again. John would need to go for more, but this time it would be to another ammunition dump, 600 yards away. Once again the Japanese threw everything at him, but he snaked through the grass well enough so that the Japanese could not find a clear target. John made it back with the much needed ammunition which held off the enemy attacks. Finally the attacks ended around sunrise. The daylight revealed a scene of utter carnage on the ground. Hundreds of bodies laid dead in front of the American positions, In fact, the entire Japanese regiment, around 3000 men, had been “annihilated”. On this night of October 24th, and 25th the U.S. had turned the tide of the war and the previously undefeated Japanese were on their way to defeat. For his heroics that night John was awarded The Congressional Medal of Honor.
Bond Tour
In July of 1943, John was informed that he was being sent home, but there was a catch to it. John would have to go on a “bond drive”. As John loaded up to go home, he told his buddies he would be back, but they did not believe him. His men figured that with his medal, he could get a safe assignment at home for the rest of the war. His home town of Raritan planned a homecoming parade in his honor. It was held on Sunday, September 19th, 1943. The people of the small town of Raritan were amazed that such a big event came their town. There were 30,000 people, including many politicians, numerous celebrities, and the national press. Life Magazine ran a four page story on the parade. Even the Fox Movietone News video taped the event making a newsreel that was shown at movie theatres throughout the country As a hero, John was worshipped and wined and dined. John said that the admiration and attention was appreciated, but he was a soldier, and that he had given his word to his men that he would be back. John officially asked to go back to his men, but was initially denied. He was told that they needed him more on the home front. He was offered a commission (an officer’s job), but he turned it down, saying he was a plain soldier. He was offered a job as an gunnery instructor. To John, these soft, easy assignments did not seem right. He had a strong sense of purpose, and a safe easy job while there was a war going on was not his idea of being a Marine. After a few months he asked again to go back overseas and this time he was granted his wish. For his assignment, Basilone was to report to Camp Pendleton in California to train with a group that was preparing to invade an island in the Pacific. So on December 27th, 1943, John left the easy life of a hero on the home front to return to the soldiers who would soon go back overseas to engage the enemy.
Iwo Jima
While at Camp Pendleton John met a woman Marine Sergeant Lena Mae Riggi and love blossomed. After dating for several months, they married on July 10th, 1944. Just one month later, on August 11th, 1944, orders were given for the Marines to ship out of Camp Pendleton. John packed up and said good-bye to his new wife, boarded his ship, and sailed with the rest of the Marines for Iwo Jima
On February 19th, 1945 the Marines arrived at Iwo Jima and were ready to attack., The Navy had bombarded the island for 36 days. Some Marines hoped this intense bombing would allow them to take the island with little resistance. However, there were 22,000 Japanese warriors who were well dug in, heavily armed, and prepared to die. The first U.S. invasion force landed on the beach at 9:05 AM. John Basilone’s group landed around 9:30 AM. They were surprised to find little opposition. The Marines got up on the beach and noticed that their feet could barely move in the soft black volcanic sand of Iwo Jima. For one hour, the U.S. was able to get their transports up to the beach and unload the men without major resistance. Then, with the beach crowded with U.S. soldiers, the Japanese began their counter attack. Suddenly the Japanese from their hidden blockhouses began firing away at the exposed U.S. troops. The Marines were getting annihilated. Survivors later wondered how anyone survived the initial Japanese barrage. The U.S. forces were on the beach, but they had little or no cover, were still disorganized, and had not yet gotten enough heavy equipment ashore to defend against this type of attack. The troops had trained for years, but nothing could prepare them for what was happening all around them. The soldiers would later say how frustrated they were that they could not see the enemy to fight back. The Japanese counterattack had stalled the U.S. invasion. Most Marines were hiding in the sand. The beach was littered with damaged vehicles, equipment, and dead soldiers. The invasion was not moving. Brave men with leadership ability were needed to rally the troops. John Basilone rose to the occasion. Many survivors of the battle recall that in the midst of the battle, with everyone hunkered down in the sand, there was one Marine out in the open, running around, directing men. It was John Basilone. He first guided a tank out of a mine field. Only a few tanks came a shore and they were needed to knock out Japanese blockhouses. John had noticed a particular Japanese bunker had been effectively shooting mortar shells and raging deadly fire upon the U.S. troops. This enemy strong position “had to go”. John found and organized some machine gunners along with demolition men and directed them toward the bunker. John Basilone instructed a demolition man to blow a hole in the concrete structure, while others gave cover against other nearby enemy positions. A large explosion went off opening part of the bunker. Basilone then told the enthused machine gunners to hold their fire and directed a flamethrower operator to charge the pit. The brave flamethrower charged the pit as quickly as he could, stuck his nozzle in the pit and ignited the flame. Some of the Japanese soldiers ran out of the pit screaming as they tried to wipe away the jellied gasoline that was burning them. John Basilone cut them down with a machine gun. Fellow soldier, Charles Tatum, said “for me and others … who saw Basilone’s leadership and courage during our assault, his example was overwhelming.” After knocking out the bunker, Basilone led twenty men off the exposed beach area to a location where they could take some cover and plan their next move. He ordered the men to stay while he went back to get more men and some heavy machine guns. John Basilone gathered some troops and weapons and started back across the beach to the waiting soldiers. But John was hit with a Japanese mortar shell which landed right in the middle of him and the men he was leading. He died from his wounds around thirty minutes later.
________________________________________
For his actions that day, John Basilone was awarded The Navy Cross. The military paid tribute to John by naming a ship after him. An anti-submarine Navy Destroyer, the U.S.S. Basilone was commissioned on July 26th, 1949. His home town of Raritan honors him every year with a parade. The first parade was in 1981. For 22 years, the parade has been held, rain or shine. It attracts thousands of spectators. It is the pride of the town of Raritan. John Basilone remains the only soldier (non-officer) in U.S. history to be awarded both The Congressional Medal of Honor and The Navy Cross. He is also the only Medal of Honor winner to go back into combat and be killed in combat.
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LTC Stephen F.
HIs 274 John Basilone and The Battle of Guadalcanal
John Basilone's story along with details from a WW2 Battle
HIs 274 John Basilone and The Battle of Guadalcanal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpqu7UDJTfA
Images:
1. Sergeant John Basilone wearing the congressional medal of honor awarded for his outstanding heroism for firing a machine gun and pistol, 'manila John' piled up 38 Japanese bodies.
2. SSgt John Basilone and USMC(WR) Sgt Lena Mae Basilone.jpg
3. Sergeant John Basilone was wedded to Sergeant Lena Rae Riggi on July 10, 1944 at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Church in Oceanside, California.
4. Sgt. Lena Mae Basilone, USMC(WR), widow of John Basilone, prepares to christen the destroyer USS Basilone (December 21, 1945)
Background from {[https://ww2db.com/person_bio.php?person_id=85]}
John Basilone
Born 4 Nov 1916 - Buffalo, New York
Died 19 Feb 1945 - Iwo Jima
ww2dbaseGiovanni "John" Basilone was born in Buffalo, New York, United States. Between 1934 and 1937, he was an enlisted man in the United States Army based in the Philippine Islands, and upon his return he picked up the nickname "Manila John". He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1940. In 1942, he was sent to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, where he made himself known as a fearless warrior at Henderson Field during a Japanese counterattack led by Major Generals Kawaguchi and Nasu. Leading a weapons company of the First Battalion of the 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, he was equipped with a 100-pound Browning heavy machine gun. He carried the heavy gun for 30 yards to set up a strongpoint so that the other two guns nearby, both jammed, could have time to recover and reload. "Basilone had a machine gun on the go for three days and nights without sleep, rest or food," fellow Marine Nash Phillips remembered (and exaggerated, as the Japanese attack did not last nearly as long). By the time the Japanese attack ceased, the three Browning guns had used up 125 belts of ammunition, with only one to spare. For his personal valor at Guadalcanal, he was awarded the Medal of Honor by General Vandegrift in May 1943.
ww2dbaseOn D-Day just beyond the landing beach designated "Red Beach II" at Iwo Jima, Basilone tried to lead a rifle unit to take out a Japanese gun emplacement. "Come on, you guys, we gotta get these guns off the beach", he yelled, as recalled by others who survived. A few seconds later, out of nowhere, a mortar shell landed near him and struck him down.
John Basilone Timeline
4 Nov 1916 John Basilone was born in Buffalo, New York, United States.
3 Sep 1943 John Basilone arrived in New York, New York, United States.
6 Sep 1943 John Basilone began a bond tour in the New York City region of the United States.
9 Sep 1943 John Basilone participated in a bond tour event in Newark, New Jersey, United States.
10 Sep 1943 John Basilone participated in a bond tour event in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States.
18 Sep 1943 John Basilone participated in a bond tour event in Scanton, Pennsylvania, United States.
19 Sep 1943 John Basilone participated in a bond tour event in his home town of Raritan and the neighboring town of Somerville in New Jersey, United States.
6 Dec 1943 John Basilone arrived in New York, New York, United States and prepared for the bond drive event that was to take place on the following day, which was the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack.
27 Dec 1943 John Basilone departed for Camp Pendleton, California, United States.
13 Jan 1944 John Basilone was assigned to the 21st Infantry Regiment of the newly formed but not yet activated US 5th Marine Division.
3 Jul 1944 John Basilone re-enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.
7 Jul 1944 John Basilone and Lena Mae Riggi completed the application for a marriage certificate.
10 Jul 1944 John Basilone married Sergeant Lena Mae Riggi at St. Mary's Star of the Sea Church in Oceanside, California, United States.
19 Feb 1945 John Basilone passed away.
FYI Sgt John H. SGM Bill FrazerCSM (Join to see)SSG Jeffrey LeakeSSG Paul HeadleeSGM Major StroupeCPL Michael PeckSSG Jeff Furgerson]Sgt (Join to see)PO1 Steve Ditto CPL Douglas ChryslerSP5 Geoffrey Vannerson LTC John Shaw SPC Matthew Lamb GySgt John Hudson SPC(P) (Join to see) SSG Robert WebsterSFC Bernard Walko SFC Chuck Martinez CSM Chuck Stafford
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpqu7UDJTfA
Images:
1. Sergeant John Basilone wearing the congressional medal of honor awarded for his outstanding heroism for firing a machine gun and pistol, 'manila John' piled up 38 Japanese bodies.
2. SSgt John Basilone and USMC(WR) Sgt Lena Mae Basilone.jpg
3. Sergeant John Basilone was wedded to Sergeant Lena Rae Riggi on July 10, 1944 at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Church in Oceanside, California.
4. Sgt. Lena Mae Basilone, USMC(WR), widow of John Basilone, prepares to christen the destroyer USS Basilone (December 21, 1945)
Background from {[https://ww2db.com/person_bio.php?person_id=85]}
John Basilone
Born 4 Nov 1916 - Buffalo, New York
Died 19 Feb 1945 - Iwo Jima
ww2dbaseGiovanni "John" Basilone was born in Buffalo, New York, United States. Between 1934 and 1937, he was an enlisted man in the United States Army based in the Philippine Islands, and upon his return he picked up the nickname "Manila John". He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1940. In 1942, he was sent to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, where he made himself known as a fearless warrior at Henderson Field during a Japanese counterattack led by Major Generals Kawaguchi and Nasu. Leading a weapons company of the First Battalion of the 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, he was equipped with a 100-pound Browning heavy machine gun. He carried the heavy gun for 30 yards to set up a strongpoint so that the other two guns nearby, both jammed, could have time to recover and reload. "Basilone had a machine gun on the go for three days and nights without sleep, rest or food," fellow Marine Nash Phillips remembered (and exaggerated, as the Japanese attack did not last nearly as long). By the time the Japanese attack ceased, the three Browning guns had used up 125 belts of ammunition, with only one to spare. For his personal valor at Guadalcanal, he was awarded the Medal of Honor by General Vandegrift in May 1943.
ww2dbaseOn D-Day just beyond the landing beach designated "Red Beach II" at Iwo Jima, Basilone tried to lead a rifle unit to take out a Japanese gun emplacement. "Come on, you guys, we gotta get these guns off the beach", he yelled, as recalled by others who survived. A few seconds later, out of nowhere, a mortar shell landed near him and struck him down.
John Basilone Timeline
4 Nov 1916 John Basilone was born in Buffalo, New York, United States.
3 Sep 1943 John Basilone arrived in New York, New York, United States.
6 Sep 1943 John Basilone began a bond tour in the New York City region of the United States.
9 Sep 1943 John Basilone participated in a bond tour event in Newark, New Jersey, United States.
10 Sep 1943 John Basilone participated in a bond tour event in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States.
18 Sep 1943 John Basilone participated in a bond tour event in Scanton, Pennsylvania, United States.
19 Sep 1943 John Basilone participated in a bond tour event in his home town of Raritan and the neighboring town of Somerville in New Jersey, United States.
6 Dec 1943 John Basilone arrived in New York, New York, United States and prepared for the bond drive event that was to take place on the following day, which was the anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack.
27 Dec 1943 John Basilone departed for Camp Pendleton, California, United States.
13 Jan 1944 John Basilone was assigned to the 21st Infantry Regiment of the newly formed but not yet activated US 5th Marine Division.
3 Jul 1944 John Basilone re-enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.
7 Jul 1944 John Basilone and Lena Mae Riggi completed the application for a marriage certificate.
10 Jul 1944 John Basilone married Sergeant Lena Mae Riggi at St. Mary's Star of the Sea Church in Oceanside, California, United States.
19 Feb 1945 John Basilone passed away.
FYI Sgt John H. SGM Bill FrazerCSM (Join to see)SSG Jeffrey LeakeSSG Paul HeadleeSGM Major StroupeCPL Michael PeckSSG Jeff Furgerson]Sgt (Join to see)PO1 Steve Ditto CPL Douglas ChryslerSP5 Geoffrey Vannerson LTC John Shaw SPC Matthew Lamb GySgt John Hudson SPC(P) (Join to see) SSG Robert WebsterSFC Bernard Walko SFC Chuck Martinez CSM Chuck Stafford
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LTC Stephen F.
Warrior Spotlight: GySgt John Basilone
Short biography of Marine Gunnery Sgt John Basilone. His story of courage, selflessness, perseverance, and survival, should be one that everyone can use to ...
Warrior Spotlight: GySgt John Basilone
Short biography of Marine Gunnery Sgt John Basilone. His story of courage, selflessness, perseverance, and survival, should be one that everyone can use to get through those tough days.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OzgK3Zsdpw
Images:
1. MGen A. Vandegrift, Col M Edson, 2Lt M. Paige, and Plt. Sgt. J. Basilone at US 1st Marine Division Medal of Honor ceremony, Balcombe, Australia, 21 May 1943
2. Portrait of John Basilone, Sep 1943
3. Sergeant Basilone displays an asbestos glove. He wishes he would’ve had that glove on Oct. 24-25, 1942 when during the battle he barehanded a.30 caliber machine gun.
4 John Basilone with a machine gun in the United States.
Background from {[ https://www.history101.com/remembering-the-ultimate-marine-john-basilone-on-memorial-day/]}
Remembering the ultimate Marine, John Basilone, on Memorial Day
February 18, 2020 By Matthew Black
Marine platoon Sergeant John Basilone, 26, of Raritan, NJ, proudly wears his congressional medal of honor awarded in recognition of his outstanding heroism in the field. Firing a machine gun and pistol, "mamila John" piled up 38 Japanese bodies in front of his emplacement on Guadalcanal, October 24 and 25, 1942. He is credited with playing a major part in the regiment, the only son of an Italian-born tailor, he has spent nearly six years in the U.S. Armed Forces
Marine Sergeant John Basilone is remembered on Memorial Day for making the ultimate sacrifice for his country,
Seventy-four years after the death of the most decorated Marine in WWII, the United States still very much remembers the sacrifice of Marine Sergeant John Basilone. John Basilone Day is still celebrated every year in September in his hometown of Raritan, New Jersey.
San Diego named the highway that leads to Camp Pendleton after him, as well as built a bronze statue in the heart of the city. His exploits and efforts are the stuff of legends, and his sacrifice is a reminder on Memorial Day of how the devotion of one allows so many people to live in a free world. Awarded both the Navy Cross (the second highest decoration for valor) and the Medal of Honor (the highest decoration for valor), Sergeant Basilone made a habit of taking on longs odds and gave his life for his country in the process.
“Basilone is an embodiment of what they’re trying to instill in you when you’re becoming a Marine,” says former Marine Forward Observer and writer for the Military Times Jon Simkins. “His exploits and heroics and the things he represented are what drill instructors are trying to impress upon you in the formative phase of becoming a Marine, and it sticks with you.”
On the night of Oct. 24, 1942, on the island of Guadalcanal, a Japanese regiment of 3,000 troops attacked a handful of Marines, including Sergeant Basilone. The Marines were vastly outnumbered and under-gunned and had the dubious task of defending the most important airfield in the South Pacific.
“If the Japanese force got through Basilone’s line and took Henderson Field,” said Senior Director of Research and History at The National WWII Museum, Keith Huxen. “It would’ve completely changed the complexion of the war.”
The first contact occurred during the night. Basilone and the two machine gun positions under his command received intense fire from mortars, grenades, and machine guns. When the barrage stopped wave after wave of Japanese banzai charges descended upon Basilone and his hardened Marines. When the Japanese succeeded in knocking out one of the guns, Sergeant Basilone ran a distance of 200 yards while encountering withering gunfire to carry nearly 100 pounds of equipment and ammunition to restart the gun.
The Japanese pressed their attack, and soon there was just Basilone and two other Marines left. He retrieved another heavy machine gun and poured accurate fire upon the fierce Japanese attacks. Suddenly, one his men stopped shooting, and under intense enemy fire, he ran over to the junior Marine and fixed the jam in his gun. Over the course of the ensuing hours (and during a relentless Japanese assault), he ran supplies from the rear to his gunners.
Sometime during the course of the battle, he lost his asbestos glove, which was critical in preventing burns when handling the hot barrel of his machine gun. But he didn’t have time to look for it and sustained terrible burns on his hand and arm while pouring rounds into the Japanese attackers. Using his machine gun, .45-caliber pistol, and machete, he was credited with killing 38 enemy soldiers single-handedly. When reinforcements finally arrived on October 25th, nearly the entire 3,000 man Japanese regiment had been annihilated.
“The U.S. Finally won a battle at sea in November at Guadalcanal, and by February 1943, they were finally able to starve the rest of the Japanese out,” explained Huxen. “But if Basilone loses that battle, there is no naval battle in November 1942, and there isn’t a Japanese withdrawal in 1943.”
“For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action,” as the citation reads, Sergeant Basilone was awarded the Medal of Honor. He was immediately shipped home and went on a war bond tour around the country, and became a household name. But celebrity life didn’t agree with the battle-hardened Marine, as he requested over and over again to return to his men. Over and over again, he was denied.
The Marine Corps and Defense Department felt that Sergeant Basilone had done his duty, and offered to make him an officer if he stayed home. Ever the faithful Marine (Semper Fidelis), Basilone insisted that he wanted to return to active duty.
“Without the Corps,” he once said. “My life means nothing.” Eventually, the Corps gave in, and Basilone was sent to Camp Pendleton in San Diego to begin training.
Everywhere Basilone went, people knew who he was and what he did, and that followed him to Camp Pendleton. But there was one person who was completely unimpressed with his celebrity, and her name was Lena Mae Riggi. The reserve Sergeant didn’t bat an eye at Sergeant Basilone, as “Sergeant Riggi waited for the gossips to tire themselves out,” Basilone later explained. “[She] looked at them and said, ‘So what?’ She was the girl for me.”
The two were wed at a chapel near San Diego, California on July 10, 1944. The two barely had enough time to honeymoon, as just one month later, Basilone got his marching orders.
“All the luxuries that we enjoy in our daily lives,” Simkins reminds us. “To put that behind you and instead to share that comradeship with your men — it’s unbelievable.”
“One of the main reasons why Basilone’s legacy endures,” said Huxen. “Is that he had an opportunity to become an officer and come home, he had the Medal Of Honor, a new wife, but he felt so committed to his fellow Marines that he went back when he didn’t have too. Not only does he perform heroic actions to earn a medal at Iwo Jima, but he’s also killed, and this makes him a legend.”
On Feb. 19, 1945, Sergeant Basilone landed on Red Beach on the remote island of Iwo Jima. The Japanese baited the Marines to come ashore and then unleashed a barrage of fire that had most men laying down in the open. But that wasn’t the case for Basilone, who moved through enemy artillery fire around an enemy position. He got to a high point and flanked a blockhouse that was spraying machine gun bullets at his Marines. With hand grenades and demolition charges, he managed to take it out and kill all inside, single-handedly.
Basilone then spotted a tank that was under fire and in trouble. He led the tank through a minefield and out of harm’s way. Always at the font of the fray, he exposed himself time and again to direct his fellow Marines. Just as he reached the airfield, which was the invasions stated objective, a mortar round exploded nearby and killed him along with four other Marines.
For his efforts, Sergeant Basilone was awarded the Navy Cross, posthumously. Though the Marines prevailed at Iwo Jima, the loss of Basilone was a terrible blow to the country, his family, and his new wife. She never remarried, and when she was buried in 1999, she was wearing the wedding ring Basilone gave her.
“On Memorial Day, it’s especially important to honor Basilone, as he’s such a representation of sacrifice,” said Simkins. “He had the opportunity to have a cush lifestyle when he came back, but not only did he turn that down, he requested to go back overseas. And then to be killed at Iwo Jima — that sacrifice is what Memorial Day is all about.”
As the country honors the fallen this Memorial Day, we’ll remember the ultimate sacrifice made by Basilone, and by so many other brave soldiers of less celebrity, but no less honor.
FYI PO2 Cyrus BarberiaSgt Jim BelanusCPO John Bjorge1stsgt Glenn BrackinLTC David BrownCpl Vic BurkSSG Jimmy Cernich1LT Ernest ChambleeCPT (Join to see)SGM Bill FrazerPO1 Robert GeorgePO2 (Join to see)SPC Chris HallgrimsonCSM (Join to see)SSG Paul HeadleePO1 H Gene LawrenceSP5 Dennis LobergerPO3 Phyllis MaynardLT Brad McInnisSSgt Marian Mitchell
Short biography of Marine Gunnery Sgt John Basilone. His story of courage, selflessness, perseverance, and survival, should be one that everyone can use to get through those tough days.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OzgK3Zsdpw
Images:
1. MGen A. Vandegrift, Col M Edson, 2Lt M. Paige, and Plt. Sgt. J. Basilone at US 1st Marine Division Medal of Honor ceremony, Balcombe, Australia, 21 May 1943
2. Portrait of John Basilone, Sep 1943
3. Sergeant Basilone displays an asbestos glove. He wishes he would’ve had that glove on Oct. 24-25, 1942 when during the battle he barehanded a.30 caliber machine gun.
4 John Basilone with a machine gun in the United States.
Background from {[ https://www.history101.com/remembering-the-ultimate-marine-john-basilone-on-memorial-day/]}
Remembering the ultimate Marine, John Basilone, on Memorial Day
February 18, 2020 By Matthew Black
Marine platoon Sergeant John Basilone, 26, of Raritan, NJ, proudly wears his congressional medal of honor awarded in recognition of his outstanding heroism in the field. Firing a machine gun and pistol, "mamila John" piled up 38 Japanese bodies in front of his emplacement on Guadalcanal, October 24 and 25, 1942. He is credited with playing a major part in the regiment, the only son of an Italian-born tailor, he has spent nearly six years in the U.S. Armed Forces
Marine Sergeant John Basilone is remembered on Memorial Day for making the ultimate sacrifice for his country,
Seventy-four years after the death of the most decorated Marine in WWII, the United States still very much remembers the sacrifice of Marine Sergeant John Basilone. John Basilone Day is still celebrated every year in September in his hometown of Raritan, New Jersey.
San Diego named the highway that leads to Camp Pendleton after him, as well as built a bronze statue in the heart of the city. His exploits and efforts are the stuff of legends, and his sacrifice is a reminder on Memorial Day of how the devotion of one allows so many people to live in a free world. Awarded both the Navy Cross (the second highest decoration for valor) and the Medal of Honor (the highest decoration for valor), Sergeant Basilone made a habit of taking on longs odds and gave his life for his country in the process.
“Basilone is an embodiment of what they’re trying to instill in you when you’re becoming a Marine,” says former Marine Forward Observer and writer for the Military Times Jon Simkins. “His exploits and heroics and the things he represented are what drill instructors are trying to impress upon you in the formative phase of becoming a Marine, and it sticks with you.”
On the night of Oct. 24, 1942, on the island of Guadalcanal, a Japanese regiment of 3,000 troops attacked a handful of Marines, including Sergeant Basilone. The Marines were vastly outnumbered and under-gunned and had the dubious task of defending the most important airfield in the South Pacific.
“If the Japanese force got through Basilone’s line and took Henderson Field,” said Senior Director of Research and History at The National WWII Museum, Keith Huxen. “It would’ve completely changed the complexion of the war.”
The first contact occurred during the night. Basilone and the two machine gun positions under his command received intense fire from mortars, grenades, and machine guns. When the barrage stopped wave after wave of Japanese banzai charges descended upon Basilone and his hardened Marines. When the Japanese succeeded in knocking out one of the guns, Sergeant Basilone ran a distance of 200 yards while encountering withering gunfire to carry nearly 100 pounds of equipment and ammunition to restart the gun.
The Japanese pressed their attack, and soon there was just Basilone and two other Marines left. He retrieved another heavy machine gun and poured accurate fire upon the fierce Japanese attacks. Suddenly, one his men stopped shooting, and under intense enemy fire, he ran over to the junior Marine and fixed the jam in his gun. Over the course of the ensuing hours (and during a relentless Japanese assault), he ran supplies from the rear to his gunners.
Sometime during the course of the battle, he lost his asbestos glove, which was critical in preventing burns when handling the hot barrel of his machine gun. But he didn’t have time to look for it and sustained terrible burns on his hand and arm while pouring rounds into the Japanese attackers. Using his machine gun, .45-caliber pistol, and machete, he was credited with killing 38 enemy soldiers single-handedly. When reinforcements finally arrived on October 25th, nearly the entire 3,000 man Japanese regiment had been annihilated.
“The U.S. Finally won a battle at sea in November at Guadalcanal, and by February 1943, they were finally able to starve the rest of the Japanese out,” explained Huxen. “But if Basilone loses that battle, there is no naval battle in November 1942, and there isn’t a Japanese withdrawal in 1943.”
“For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action,” as the citation reads, Sergeant Basilone was awarded the Medal of Honor. He was immediately shipped home and went on a war bond tour around the country, and became a household name. But celebrity life didn’t agree with the battle-hardened Marine, as he requested over and over again to return to his men. Over and over again, he was denied.
The Marine Corps and Defense Department felt that Sergeant Basilone had done his duty, and offered to make him an officer if he stayed home. Ever the faithful Marine (Semper Fidelis), Basilone insisted that he wanted to return to active duty.
“Without the Corps,” he once said. “My life means nothing.” Eventually, the Corps gave in, and Basilone was sent to Camp Pendleton in San Diego to begin training.
Everywhere Basilone went, people knew who he was and what he did, and that followed him to Camp Pendleton. But there was one person who was completely unimpressed with his celebrity, and her name was Lena Mae Riggi. The reserve Sergeant didn’t bat an eye at Sergeant Basilone, as “Sergeant Riggi waited for the gossips to tire themselves out,” Basilone later explained. “[She] looked at them and said, ‘So what?’ She was the girl for me.”
The two were wed at a chapel near San Diego, California on July 10, 1944. The two barely had enough time to honeymoon, as just one month later, Basilone got his marching orders.
“All the luxuries that we enjoy in our daily lives,” Simkins reminds us. “To put that behind you and instead to share that comradeship with your men — it’s unbelievable.”
“One of the main reasons why Basilone’s legacy endures,” said Huxen. “Is that he had an opportunity to become an officer and come home, he had the Medal Of Honor, a new wife, but he felt so committed to his fellow Marines that he went back when he didn’t have too. Not only does he perform heroic actions to earn a medal at Iwo Jima, but he’s also killed, and this makes him a legend.”
On Feb. 19, 1945, Sergeant Basilone landed on Red Beach on the remote island of Iwo Jima. The Japanese baited the Marines to come ashore and then unleashed a barrage of fire that had most men laying down in the open. But that wasn’t the case for Basilone, who moved through enemy artillery fire around an enemy position. He got to a high point and flanked a blockhouse that was spraying machine gun bullets at his Marines. With hand grenades and demolition charges, he managed to take it out and kill all inside, single-handedly.
Basilone then spotted a tank that was under fire and in trouble. He led the tank through a minefield and out of harm’s way. Always at the font of the fray, he exposed himself time and again to direct his fellow Marines. Just as he reached the airfield, which was the invasions stated objective, a mortar round exploded nearby and killed him along with four other Marines.
For his efforts, Sergeant Basilone was awarded the Navy Cross, posthumously. Though the Marines prevailed at Iwo Jima, the loss of Basilone was a terrible blow to the country, his family, and his new wife. She never remarried, and when she was buried in 1999, she was wearing the wedding ring Basilone gave her.
“On Memorial Day, it’s especially important to honor Basilone, as he’s such a representation of sacrifice,” said Simkins. “He had the opportunity to have a cush lifestyle when he came back, but not only did he turn that down, he requested to go back overseas. And then to be killed at Iwo Jima — that sacrifice is what Memorial Day is all about.”
As the country honors the fallen this Memorial Day, we’ll remember the ultimate sacrifice made by Basilone, and by so many other brave soldiers of less celebrity, but no less honor.
FYI PO2 Cyrus BarberiaSgt Jim BelanusCPO John Bjorge1stsgt Glenn BrackinLTC David BrownCpl Vic BurkSSG Jimmy Cernich1LT Ernest ChambleeCPT (Join to see)SGM Bill FrazerPO1 Robert GeorgePO2 (Join to see)SPC Chris HallgrimsonCSM (Join to see)SSG Paul HeadleePO1 H Gene LawrenceSP5 Dennis LobergerPO3 Phyllis MaynardLT Brad McInnisSSgt Marian Mitchell
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John Basilone's Death on Iwo Jima HD
HBO Miniseries The pacificCopyright Disclaimer, Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for 'fair use' for purposes such as criticism,...
It is said his wife never got remarried. War can hurt people and families in so many ways.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dag5Umy37zQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dag5Umy37zQ
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