US Marine Corps sergeant and Medal of Honor recipient (1916–1945)
John Basilone
Basilone in 1943
Nickname(s)
"Manila John"
Born
(1916 -11-04)November 4, 1916 Buffalo, New York, U.S.[1][2]
Died
February 19, 1945(1945-02-19) (aged 28) Airfield Number 1, Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, Japanese Empire
Buried
Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance
United States
Service/branch
United States Army United States Marine Corps
Years of service
1934–1937 1940–1945
Rank
Gunnery sergeant
Unit
USA: D Company, 16th Infantry Regiment
USA: D Company, 31st Infantry Regiment
USMC: D Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division
USMC: C Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division
Battles/wars
World War II
Guadalcanal Campaign
Battle for Henderson Field
Battle of Iwo Jima †
Awards
Medal of Honor
Navy Cross
Purple Heart
Spouse(s)
Lena Mae Riggi
(m. 1944)
John Basilone (November 4, 1916 – February 19, 1945) was a United States Marine Corps gunnery sergeant who received the Medal of Honor for actions 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.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps on June 3, 1940, after serving three years in the United States Army with duty in the Philippines. He was deployed to Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and in August 1942, he took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal. In October, he and the two machine-gun sections under his command held off an attack by a numerically far superior Japanese force. He was one of only three Marines in that group to survive. His actions at Guadalcanal earned him the Medal of Honor.
In February 1945, he was killed in action on the first day of the invasion of Iwo Jima, after he single-handedly destroyed an enemy blockhouse and led a Marine tank under fire safely through a minefield. Including the Medal of Honor, he has received many honors, including having base streets, military facilities, and two United States Navy destroyers named for him.
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JohnBasilone (November 4, 1916 – February 19, 1945) was a United States Marine Corps gunnery sergeant who received the Medal of Honor for actions during...
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Mae Basilone née Riggi (1913–1999). Sergeant, USMC Women's Reserve, World War II. Widow of Medal of Honor and Navy Cross Recipient, JohnBasilone. Never...
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