Marine Corps legend and Medal of Honor recipient, John Basilone, was killed in action on February 19 in 1945 during the first day of the invasion of Iwo Jima.
The Hero of Guadalcanal, Basilone had been previously awarded the #moh for actions during the Battle for Henderson Field in 1942 in which his 2 heavy machine gun sections repelled over 3,000 enemy Japanese.
During the relentless attack, Basilone repeatedly ran the 200 yards between gun pits to resupply ammunition and clear weapons jams for his men, using a pistol and machete to fight off flanking enemy in the process.
When he lost his gloves used to change the dangerously hot barrels, Basilone used his bare hands, ignoring the searing pain of 3rd degree burns.
An overnight celebrity, Basilone was sent home to support the war bond drive. While stateside he met and married fellow Marine Sergeant Lena Mae Riggi.
Although his status afforded him the comfort of staying out of the war, Basilone requested to be allowed back in the fight in order to be with the men.
Upon landing ashore Iwo Jima, Basilone single-handedly destroyed an enemy blockhouse which had been pinning his men down. He then proceeded to escort a tank through a minefield, while encouraging his men as artillery burst around him. While leading his men and exposing himself to enemy fire he was killed by a bursting mortar round. He was 27 years old.
Basilone was buried in Arlington’s Section 12 among many of the men with whom he fought and died. Married only 7 months, Lena never remarried and died in 1999. Although offered a spot “near” her husband she was buried in California choosing not to “cause trouble for anyone.”
The story of John and Lena Basilone was recreated in HBO’S 2010 miniseries The Pacific. Basilone’s #moh and #navycross are on display for all to see at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia.
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