John Basilone
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| John Basilone | |
|---|---|
| November 4, 1916 – February 19, 1945 (aged 28) | |
  John Basilone in his Marine Corps uniform wearing his Medal of Honor |
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| Nickname | "Manila John" |
| Place of birth | Buffalo, New York |
| Place of death | Iwo Jima, KIA |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Marine Corps |
| 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, 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.[1] 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.
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.
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[edit] Biography
Basilone was one of a family of ten children. Born in Buffalo, New York, on November 4, 1916, to Italian parents, he went to St. Bernard Parochial School in Raritan, New Jersey and enlisted in the United States Army at the age of 18. After completing his three-year enlistment in the Philippines, where he was a champion boxer, he came home and went to work as a truck driver in Reisterstown, Maryland.
In July 1940, he enlisted in the Marine Corps in Baltimore, Maryland. Before going to the Solomon Islands he saw service at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in addition to training at the Marine Corps Base Quantico, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island and Camp Lejeune, then called New River.
Gunnery Sergeant Basilone's buddies on Guadalcanal called him "Manila John" because he had served with the Army in The Philippines. before enlisting in the Marine Corps.
The story about the 38 Japanese bodies comes from Private First Class Nash W. Phillips, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, who was in the same unit with Basilone on Guadalcanal.
"Basilone had a machine gun on the go for three days and nights without sleep, rest or food," Phillips recounted. "He was in a good emplacement, and causing the Japs lots of trouble, not only firing his machine gun but also using his pistol."
Basilone was serving with the 27th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division during the invasion of Iwo Jima. On Red Beach II, he and his platoon were pinned down by enemy gunfire. He single-handedly destroyed an enemy blockhouse, allowing his unit to capture an airfield. Minutes later he was killed by an enemy artillery round.
John Basilone is Buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. His grave can be found in Section 12, Grave 384, grid Y/Z 23.5.
[edit] Medal of Honor citation
Basilone's bravery at Guadalcanal, while serving with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, is legendary. 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
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.
[edit] Navy Cross citation
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the NAVY CROSS posthumously to
JOHN BASILONE
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
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
[edit] Memorials
His name is remembered with various honors:
- USS Basilone (DD-824), a U.S. Navy destroyer, commissioned in 1949.[2]
- A section of U.S. Interstate 5, through Camp Pendleton, California, is named the "Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone Memorial Highway".[3]
- Basilone Road, an entry point into Camp Pendleton from Interstate 5, is named after him.[4]
- Basilone Drop Zone on Camp Pendleton is named for John Basilone as well.
- The football field at Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School is named "Basilone Field", and on the wall of the fieldhouse next to the field is a mural honoring Basilone.
- An overpass at the Somerville Circle, Somerville, New Jersey on U.S. Highway 202 and 206 that goes under it is named after Basilone.
- The New Jersey Turnpike bridge across the Raritan River is named the "Basilone Bridge".
- A memorial statue featuring a likeness of Sgt. Basilone holding a heavy machine gun is located at the intersections of Old York Road and Somerset Street in Raritan, New Jersey. It was sculpted by a friend, Phillip Orlando.
- A plaque at the U.S. 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.
- His pack is seen in the Ken Burns documentary "The War" in the Iwo Jima segment, although the significance is not noted in the narration
- Knights of Columbus Council #13264 is named in honor of Sgt. John Basilone in his hometown of Raritan, NJ
- 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.[5]
[edit] See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II
- List of Historically Important U.S. Marines
[edit] Notes
- ^ MacGillis, Alec. "Honoring One Marine To Remember Them All: WWII Hero Gets Plaque at Navy Memorial", Washington Post, May 29, 2006, p. B01.
- ^ "Basilone", Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
- ^ California State Senate Legislation, "SCR 25 Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone Memorial Freeway"
- ^ Camp Pendleton, GlobalSecurity.org.
- ^ Distinguished Marines. Postal Store. United States Postal Service. Archived from the original on 2005-12-20.
[edit] References
This article incorporates text in the public domain from the United States Marine Corps.- This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
- Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone, USMC. Who's Who in Marine Corps History. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Retrieved on 2007-10-20.
- John Basilone,Gunnery Sergeant, United States Marine Corps. Arlington National Cemetery Website. Retrieved on 2005-11-23.
- World War II Medal of Honor Recipient — Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone, USMC. MedalofHonor.com. Retrieved on 2005-11-23.
- Basilone. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. Retrieved on 2007-10-21.
- MacGillis, Alec. "Honoring One Marine To Remember Them All: WWII Hero Gets Plaque at Navy Memorial", Washington Post, May 29, 2006.
[edit] External links
- John Basilone Parade Website. Retrieved on 2005-10-05.
- USS Basilone. Destroyers.org. Retrieved on 2005-10-05.
- USS Basilone. Destroyers Online. Retrieved on 2005-10-05.
- John Basilone at Find A Grave Retrieved on 2007-10-21.
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