John Basilone

John Basilone
John Basilone in his Marine Corps uniform wearing his Medal of Honor
Nickname(s)	"Manila John"
Place of burial	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps United States Army
Years of service	1934-1937 (U.S. Army) 1940-1945 (USMC)
Rank	Gunnery Sergeant
Unit	1st Battalion, 7th Marines
Battles/wars	World War II *Battle of Guadalcanal *Battle of Iwo Jima
Awards	Medal of Honor Navy Cross Purple Heart

Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone (November 4, 1916 – February 19, 1945) was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Guadalcanal during World War II. He was the only enlisted Marine in World War II to receive the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross.

Initially joining the United States Army he served three years with duty in the Philippines before joining the Marine Corps. In 1940 he joined the Marine Corps and after attending training was sent to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the Solomon Islands and eventually to Guadalcanal where he held off 3,000 Japanese troops after his 15-member unit was reduced to two men. He was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of Iwo Jima, after which he was posthumously honored with the Navy Cross. Since his death and burial in Arlington National Cemetery he has received many honors including being the namesake for streets, military locations and a United States Navy destroyer.

Biography

John was born at the Basilone family home November 4, 1916 in Buffalo, New York, the sixth of ten children. His father, Salvatore Basilone immigrated to the United States from just outside Naples, Italy in 1903, when he was 19 and settled in Raritan, New Jersey. His mother Dora Bengivenga was born in 1889 and grew up in Raritan but her parents, Carlo and Catrina also came from Naples. John's parents met at a church gathering and after dating for three years they got married and lived with Dora's parents while saving money to get their own place. He went to St. Bernard Parochial School in Raritan and after completing school when he was fifteen he dropped out prior to attending high school.

Military service

At 18 he worked as a caddy for the local country club before deciding to join the military. He enlisted in the United States Army and completed his three-year enlistment in the Philippines, where he was a champion boxer. Upon returning home he worked as a truck driver in Reisterstown, Maryland. After driving trucks for a few months he decided that he wanted to go back to Manilla and believed that he could get there faster as a Marine than as a soldier in the army. He enlisted into the Marines in July 1940 from Baltimore, Maryland and was sent to recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island followed by training at Marine Corps Base Quantico and New River (now known as Camp Lejeune). The Corps sent him to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba for his next assignment and after that he was sent to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands as a member of 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division.

Guadalcanal

File:Sergeant John Basilone by C. C. Beall.png

Basilone with his machinegun at Guadalcanal

While on Guadalcanal his fellow Marines gave him the nickname "Manila John" due to his former service in the Philippines with the Army. On October 24, 1942 he was engaging the Japanese in the Lunga area with his unit when their defensive positions came under attack by a Japanese regiment of appoximately 3000 soldiers. The Japanese forces began a frontal attack using machine-guns, grenades and mortar fire against the American heavy machine-guns. The American forces fought for the next 48 hours until only Basilone and two other men from his squad were still able to continue fighting. Basilone moved an extra gun into position and maintained continual fire against the incoming Japanese forces. He was able to repair another machine-gun and personally manned it, holding his line until replacements arrived. With the continuous fighting, ammunition was becoming critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. Basilone risked his life by fighting his way through hostile lines and returning with urgently needed shells for his gunners. By the time the battle was over the attacking Japanese regiment had been virtually annihilated. For his actions during this battle he received the United States military's highest award for bravery, the Medal of Honor.

Afterwards Private First Class Nash W. Phillips, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, recalled him from the battle for Guadalcanal: "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 Japs lots of trouble, not only firing his machine gun but also using his pistol."

War bond tour and marriage

After the Medal of honor ceremony he returned to the States and participated in a War Bond Tour. His arrival was highly anticipated and publicized in the media and when he returned to his hometown they had planned a homecoming parade in his honor. The parade occurred on Sunday, September 19, 1943 and drew a huge crowd with thousands of people, including politicians, celebrities, and the national press. The parade made national news in Life magazine and Fox Movietone News. After the parade he toured throughout the country raising money for the war effort and throughout the tour he was treated like a celebrity. He appreciated the admiration but he felt out of place and wanted to return to life as a Marine so he requested to go back to the war. The request was denied and told he was needed more on the home front and was offered a commission, but he turned it down. He was later offered an assignment as an instructor but denied it as well, requesting again that he be allowed to return to the war and this time the request was approved. He was sent to Camp Pendleton, California for training and on December 27, 1943, he left. While he was stationed at Camp Pendleton he met his future wife, Lena Mae Riggi, who was a Sergeant in the Marine Corps Women's Reserve. They were married at St. Mary's Church in Oceanside, July 10, 1944, with a reception at the Carlsbad Hotel. They honeymooned at her parents' onion farm in Portland. He requested a return to the fighting in the Pacific theatre.

Iwo Jima

After his request to return to the fleet was approved he was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 27th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division during the invasion of Iwo Jima within the Volcano Islands. He was serving as the leader of a machine-gun section in action against enemy Japanese forces on Red Beach II, February 19, 1945. When his unit attempted to advance against the Japanese they concentrated their fire at the incoming American troops from heavily fortified blockhouses staged throughout the island. Basilone made his way around the side of the Japanese positions until he was directly on top of the blockhouse and then attacked with grenades and demolitions. Basilone single handedly destroyed the entire hostile strong point and its defending garrison. He then fought his way over toward Airfield Number 1 and later aided a friendly tank which had been trapped in an enemy mine field under intense mortar and artillery barrages. He guided the heavy vehicle over the hazardous terrain to safety, despite heavy weapons fire from the Japanese forces. When he was attempting to move along the edge of the airfield he was instantly killed by an exploding mortar shell. For his actions during the battle of Iwo Jima he was posthumously approved for the Marine Corps' second highest decoration for bravery, the Navy Cross.

His body was reinterred in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia and his grave can be found in Section 12, Grave 384, grid Y/Z 23.5.

Military honors

Medal of Honor	Navy Cross	Purple Heart Medal	Presidential Unit Citation
American Defense Service Medal	American Campaign Medal	Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal	World War II Victory Medal

Medal of Honor citation

His Medal of Honor citation, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, reads:

The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to

SERGEANT

JOHN BASILONE
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

for service as set forth in the following 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.

Navy Cross citation

The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the NAVY CROSS posthumously to

GUNNERY SERGEANT

JOHN BASILONE
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

Navy Cross

For extraordinary heroism while serving as a Leader of a Machine-Gun Section, Company C, 1st Battalion, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, 19 February 1945. Shrewdly gauging the tactical situation shortly after landing when his company's advance was held up by the concentrated fire of a heavily fortified Japanese blockhouse, Gunnery Sergeant Basilone boldly defied the smashing bombardment of heavy caliber fire to work his way around the flank and up to a position directly on top of the blockhouse and then, attacking with grenades and demolitions, single handedly destroyed the entire hostile strong point and its defending garrison. Consistently daring and aggressive as he fought his way over the battle-torn beach and up the sloping, gun-studded terraces toward Airfield Number 1, he repeatedly exposed himself to the blasting fury of exploding shells and later in the day coolly proceeded to the aid of a friendly tank which had been trapped in an enemy mine field under intense mortar and artillery barrages, skillfully guiding the heavy vehicle over the hazardous terrain to safety, despite the overwhelming volume of hostile fire. In the forefront of the assault at all times, he pushed forward with dauntless courage and iron determination until, moving upon the edge of the airfield, he fell, instantly killed by a bursting mortar shell. Stouthearted and indomitable, Gunnery Sergeant Basilone, by his intrepid initiative, outstanding skill, and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of the fanatic opposition, contributed materially to the advance of his company during the early critical period of the assault, and his unwavering devotion to duty throughout the bitter conflict was an inspiration to his comrades and reflects the highest credit upon Gunnery Sergeant Basilone and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.

For the President,
/s/ JAMES FORRESTAL
Secretary of the Navy

Other honors

Since his death he has been honored numerous times including being the namesake of a United States Navy destroyer, a postage stamp and several plaques, monuments and geographical landmarks.

USS Basilone

Sgt Lena Mae Basilone, USMC(WR), widow of John Basilone, prepares to christen the destroyer USS Basilone (December 21, 1945)

The United States Navy named a Gearing-class destroyer the USS Basilone in 1949. The ship was laid down on July 7, 1945 in Orange, Texas and launched on December 21, 1945. The ship was sponsored by his widow, Sergeant Lena Mae Basilone.

Marine Corps buildings and landmarks

The Marine Corps has infrastructure named for him throughout the bases and stations they maintain. These include Basilone Road, an entry point into Camp Pendleton from Interstate 5; A section of U.S. Interstate 5 running through Camp Pendleton, California, is named the "Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone Memorial Highway"; and Basilone Drop Zone on Camp Pendleton.

Namesakes from outside the Marine Corps

In addition to the honors bestowed to him from the Marine Corps a wide variety of non military institutions have also chosen their name based on Basilones. Some of these include: The football field at Bridgewater-Raritan High School is called "Basilone Field", and on the wall of the fieldhouse next to the field is a mural honoring Basilone; the Knights of Columbus Council #13264 in his hometown is named in his honor; An overpass at the Somerville Circle in Somerville, New Jersey on U.S. Highway 202 and 206 that goes under it; The New Jersey Turnpike bridge across the Raritan River is named the "Basilone Bridge"; The new Bridge that crosses the Raritan River in Raritan at First Avenue and Canal Street; A memorial statue featuring him holding a heavy machine gun is located at the intersections of Old York Road and Canal Street in Raritan, New Jersey. It was sculpted by a childhood friend, Phillip Orlando; A plaque at the United States Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C.; A bust in Little Italy San Diego at Fir & India Streets. The war memorial is dedicated to residents of Little Italy who served in WWII & Korea. The area is called Piazza Basilone; Order Sons of Italy In America Lodge #2442 is named in honor of Sgt. John Basilone in Bohemia, New York. The Raritan Public Library has the Basilone Room where they keep memorabilia about him.

In media

Basilone's service to country and Corps was recognized with the November 10, 2005 issuance "Distinguished Marines" by the U.S. Postal Service stamps honoring four Marine Corps heroes. These stamps honored Basilone, Daniel J. Daly, John A. Lejeune, and Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller.

In April 2007, it was announced that Basilone's deeds, along with Robert Leckie's memoirs, Helmet for My Pillow, and Eugene B. Sledge's book With the Old Breed, would form the basis for the HBO series The Pacific, the successor to Band of Brothers.

See also

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• List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
• List of Historically Important U.S. Marines

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

 This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

• Brady, James (2010). Hero of the Pacific: The Life of Marine Legend John Basilone. Wiley. pp. 79–80. ISBN 978-0470379417.

External links

• "John Basilone Parade Website". Retrieved October 5, 2005.

• "Sgt. John Basilone Foundation". Retrieved February 26, 2010.

Further reading

• Lansford, William Douglas. "The Life and Death of "Manila John"" (reprinted by the John Basilone Stamp Campaign). Leatherneck Magazine. Retrieved February 6, 2009.
• Proser, Jim (2004). I'm Staying with My Boys..." The Heroic Life of Sgt. John Basilone, USMC. Lightbearer Communications Company. ISBN 0975546104. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)