John Basilone (November 4, 1916 – February 19, 1945) was a United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant who received the Medal of Honor for heroism above and beyond the call of duty during the Battle for Henderson Field in the Guadalcanal campaign, and 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.
Early life[]
Basilone was born in his Italian American parents' home in November 1916, in Buffalo, New York. He was the sixth of ten children. His five older siblings were born in Raritan, New Jersey, before the family moved to Buffalo where John was born; they returned to Raritan in 1918. His father, Salvatore Basilone, emigrated from Colle Sannita, in the province of Benevento, Italy and settled in Raritan. Basilone's mother, Theadora Bencivenga, grew up in Manville, New Jersey, but her parents, Carlo and Catrina, also came from Benevento. Basilone's parents met at a church gathering and married three years later. Basilone grew up in the nearby Raritan Town (now Borough of Raritan) where he attended St. Bernard Parochial School. After completing middle school at age 15, he dropped out prior to attending high school. Basilone worked as a golf caddy for the local country club before joining the military.
Time in the Philippines[]
In July 1934, Basilone enlisted in the United States Army and completed his three-year enlistment with service in the Philippines, where he was a champion boxer. In the Army, Basilone was initially assigned to the 16th Infantry at Fort Jay, New York, before being discharged for a day, reenlisting, and being assigned to the 31st Infantry. After he was released from active duty, Basilone returned home and worked as a truck driver in Reisterstown, Maryland. After driving trucks for a few years, he wanted to go back to Manila and believed he could get there faster by serving in the Marine Corps rather than in the Army.
Switching Branches[]
John enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1940, in Baltimore, Maryland. He went to recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, followed by training at Marine Corps Base Quantico and New River. The Marines sent him to Guantánamo Bay 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.
Guadalcanal[]
After Robert Leckie's unit lands on Guadalcanal, Basilone and the other marines pass by and greet them. Basilone have been promoted to Staff Sergeant in 1942. A couple months later, he is leading a patrol. They walk through a tall grassy field when suddenly, the Japanese attack, killing an officer called Lt. Iseman in front of Basilone. The marines escape and Basilone then talks with his friend Sgt. Manny Rodriguez about the situation.
On October 24, 1942, during the Battle for Henderson Field, Basilone's unit eventually gets attacked by 3,000 Imperial Japanese soldiers from the Japanese Sendai Division using machine guns, grenades, and mortars against the American heavy machine guns in the dead of night. By this time, Rodriguez has been reassigned as an ammo runner. Basilone then runs up with Cecil Evans and William LaPointe to reinforce J.P, armed with his machine gun all the way (though without his asbestos glove, the consequences are third degree burns on his left hand and forearm).
There, he performs the actions that will eventually give him a Medal of Honor: he shoots down many Japanese soldiers, works a jammed round out of an M1917 Browning, runs back for ammunition when supplies run low and then risks his life to push Japanese bodies out of the way for a clear field of fire. After the battle is over, Basilone asks about Manny, then later finds him dead in the forest.
After Guadalcanal[]
After the marines land in Melbourne, Australia, Basilone is later seen mourning Manny's death with Morgan, even setting a drink for their dead comrade. An Australian man then walks up, taunting them and their dead friend, causing Basilone to well up in rage. Basilone is later sought out by Chesty Puller, who tells him that he has earned the Medal of Honor, and the ceremony is later seen. To his surprise, Basilone is told that he will be going home to sell war bonds, to which he refuses at first, not wanting to leave the men, but which he does after much convincing from Chesty. As Basilone is leaving, Morgan sees him off before Basilone gets on the plane.
The bond tour[]
In 1943, Basilone returned to the United States and participated in war bond tours. His arrival was highly publicized, and his hometown held a parade in his honor when he returned. The homecoming parade occurred on Sunday, September 19 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 Movie tone News. After the parade, Basilone toured the country raising money for the war effort and achieved celebrity status.
Coming Back[]
Although he appreciated the admiration, he felt out of place and requested to return to the operating forces fighting the war. The Marine Corps denied his request and told him he was needed more on the home front. He was offered a commission, which he turned down, and was later offered an assignment as an instructor, but refused this as well. When he requested again to return to the war, the request was approved. He left for Camp Pendleton, California, for training on December 27. On July 3, 1944, he reenlisted in the Marine Corps.
5th Marines[]
Basilone has it with the war bond drives and he eventually applies for a transfer to the 5th Marine Division. At the camp, now a Gunnery Sergeant, he is surprised to see that only two recruits were in the barracks at the time, PFCs Charles Tatum and Clifford Evanson, who he immediately puts on machine gun duty. At first, they do their job rather badly, as seen on their first day.
Eventually, it is revealed that Basilone's, now nicknamed "Gunny", enlistment ends in July, which was soon. The other recruits eventually arrive, just as green as the first two. Basilone trains them harder and tougher so they could be the best out there in Iwo Jima, and it is through this training that the recruits become marines indefinitely, including Tatum and Evanson, who formed a perfect machine gun team.
At the same time, John 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 Star of the Sea Church in Oceanside, California, on July 10, 1944, with a reception at the Carlsbad Hotel. They honeymooned at an onion farm near Portland, Oregon.
Death[]
Basilone took part in the Battle of Iwo Jima, where he led several Marines to take down many machine gun positions and bunkers. They fought their way toward Airfield Number 1 and aided a Marine tank that was trapped in an enemy mine field under intense mortar and artillery barrages. Basilone eventually goes to the beach to help some others from his squad, while leaving Tatum, Evanson, and several others to help defend against an Imperial Japanese machine gun position. He guided the heavy vehicle over the hazardous terrain to safety, despite heavy weapons fire from the Japanese. As he moved along the edge of the airfield Basilone was killed by Japanese mortar shrapnel.
Gallery[]
