John Basilone: A Man To Emulate…If You Can
“Heroes are ordinary people who make themselves extraordinary.”
(Gerard Way)
John Basilone – if you’re a Marine you know of this man, if you are not a Marine you probably don’t, and that is a shame. Like many American heroes he was not born into a rich and influential family, nor did he attend an elite college, or any collage for that matter. Yet John Basilone accomplished more in his life than most Americans can even dream of accomplishing.
On November 4, 1916, John was born in Buffalo, New York – the sixth of ten children. His father was an Italian immigrant who worked as a tailor, and his mother was a first-generation Italian-American. After John’s birth the family moved back to Raritan, New Jersey where he attended St. Bernard’s Catholic school through the eighth grade. After dropping out of school at 15 Basilone worked as a caddy at the local country club for three years then in July 1934, at the age of 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Army.
After completing basic training, Private Basilone was sent to the Philippine Islands where he became a boxing champion and from all accounts enjoyed life in Manila muchly! Alas, despite the attractions of the tropics in general and Manila in particular, Basilone didn’t reenlist, but instead returned to the states and was honorably discharged in 1937.
Upon leaving the Army Basilone became a truck driver in Reisterstown, Maryland. Alas, he missed Manila and enlisted in the Marines in July 1940. He picked the Marines because he believed it would be a faster route back to the Philippines. Unfortunately, Basilone would never again see the Philippines. Instead, he was transferred to Cuba where he remained until 1942 when he was assigned to D company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division (1/7) as a machine gunner.[i]
With the attack on Peral Harbor and America’s entry into World War II, the 1st Marine division consisting of the 1st, 5th, and 7th Marine infantry regiments, and the 11th artillery regiment was tasked with taking Guadalcanal. This would be[1] the first land offensive the U.S. conducted in World War II.[i]
On August 7, 1942, the 1st Marine division, less the 7th Marines landed on Guadalcanal – an island whose strategic location would allow the Allies to challenge the Japanese’s major base of Rabaul, New Britain.[i] The airfield on Guadalcanal would become critical to holding the Island against Japanese counterattacks.
On September 18, 1942, Sergeant Basilone and the 7th Marines rejoined the 1st Marine Division and immediately took part in combat operations. Like most who take part in war, not much is written about Sgt. Basilone during the first month he fought on Guadalcanal, but all that changed on October 24, 1942.
In the month before 1/7 rejoined the 1st Division, the Japanese had pressed the Marines hard, and though they had defeated several Japanese attacks, the Japanese were not in the mood to cede Guadalcanal to the Americans. Instead, they reinforced their forces on the Island with an estimated 15,000 troops from the battle-hardened 2nd Infantry (Sendai) Division.
Based on intelligence reports, Major General Vandegrift, Commander, 1st Marine Division concluded the Japanese objective was Henderson Field, and sent 1/7 to defend a part of the perimeter protecting the all-important airfield. Sgt. Basilone and his two sections of heavy water-cooled .30 caliber machine guns were part of that line.
On the night of October 24, 1942, the Japanese launched an attack with an estimated 3,000 troops that would last for three days and two nights. Sgt. Basilone and his machine gunners were in the middle of it all.
For the next two nights Basilone was everywhere. When they were low on ammunition, he took his pistol and machete and cut through the jungle and Japanese troops who had gotten behind Basilone’s machine guns to get more. When one of his machine guns was knocked out of action, he ran through enemy fire, repaired it, and manned it himself. When a machine gun needed to be moved to a better position, he picked up the 90-pound weapon and moved it several hundred yards under enemy fire. When he lost his asbestos glove used for changing red-hot barrels, he used his hand – suffering third degree burns to his hand and arms – and then just kept firing. When the Japanese overran his position, he used his machete and pistol to fight them off.
The fighting was so fierce that the Japanese dead piled up so high in front of Basilone’s position that he could note effectively engage the enemy. Basilone’s solution? He crawled out of his position and moved the bodies to clear his field of fire, returned to his machine gun and started firing again.
When the battle finally ended, there were two Marines from Basilone’s machine gun crews left – himself and Private Nash W. Phillips. Phillips described Sgt. Basilone’s actions:
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 Japanese lots of trouble, not only firing his machine gun, but also using his pistol. He was barefooted, and his eyes were red as fire. His face was dirty black from gunfire and lack of sleep. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his shoulders. He had a .45 tucked into the waistband of his trousers.
Sgt. Basilone was credited with killing at least 38 enemy soldiers. However, then LtCol. Puller, commanding officer of 1/7 reported there were over 900 Japanese bodies in the sector Sgt. Basilone’s machine guns covered.[iv]
After Guadalcanal the 1st Marine Division was rotated to Australia for rest and refit. While in Australia Sgt. Basilone was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on Guadalcanal – the first enlisted Marine in World War II to receive the nation’s highest award for bravery.[v]
After being awarded the Medal of Honor, Sgt. Basilone was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt) and sent back to the States to take part in the War Bond Drive. He was received as the hero he was and there were always parades, parties, and of course ladies vying for his attention. Though he’s rumored to have had a brief affair with Hollywood star Virginia Grey, he was uncomfortable in the spotlight and requested to return to the Fleet Marine Force. His request was denied. Instead, he was offered a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant and assignment to D.C. GySgt Basilone turned down that offer in no uncertain terms: “I ain’t no officer, and I ain’t no museum piece. I belong back with my outfit.”
His second request to return to the FMF was granted and on December 9, 1943, he was assigned to C Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division, stationed at Camp Pendleton, California.
While training with 1/27 at Pendleton GySgt Basilone met Sgt. Lena Mae Riggi, who was serving as a Marine field cook. Lena was the daughter of Italian immigrant parents. Initially, Lena had no interest in the celebrity war hero Basilone and wrote him off as just another lonely Marine looking for companionship. From that less than stellar start they both ended up finding the love of their life. After a whirlwind romance John and Lena were married on July 7, 1944.
Mr. and Mrs. Basilone would spend about 4 months together before 1/27, along with the entire 5th Marine Division deployed to the Pacific just before Christmas 1944. At the time it was unknown to the newlyweds, but the 5th Marine Division had been selected as part of the landing force in the upcoming amphibious assault on Iwo Jima.
On D-Day, February 19, 1945, GySgt Basilone led his machine gun sections onto Red Beach, Iwo Jima. The Japanese had heavily fortified their positions and pinned the Marines down on the beach with heavy fire. Basilone once again rose to the occasion and pushed the Marines off the beach before they were all killed. Then on his own, he attacked and destroyed a Japanese blockhouse. But he was not done yet, under heavy mortar and artillery fire he guided a trapped Marine tank out of a minefield before it could be destroyed by Japanese fire. A few minutes later GySgt John Basilone was wounded by a Japanese mortar round. Seven months after he was married, seven months before the end of the war, and thirty minutes after he was hit by mortar shrapnel, GySgt John Basilone died on Iwo Jima. He was 27.
For his actions on Iwo Jima, GySgt Basilone was awarded the Navy Cross – our nation’s second highest award for bravery – making him the only enlisted Marine to be awarded both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross.
Why did I say John and Lena found the love of their lives when they were only married for seven months? Well, Lena Mae Basilone stayed in California until she passed away on June 11, 1999 – just over 54 years after her husband was killed in action on Iwo Jima. During those 54 years Lena Mae Basilone never remarried and was still wearing her wedding ring when she passed away. I do believe, as tragic as it is, that the story of GySgt. John and Sgt. Lena Basilone defines the phrase “the love of my life.”
May they always be honored and never forgotten.
References:
Congressional Medal of Honor Society
John Basilone Biography
Marine Corps University
Marines in World War II
Medal of Honor Museum
The Incredible Story of John Basilone, U.S. Marine
The Solomon Islands Campaign: Guadalcanal
Warfare History Network
Women’s Marine Association
[i] It is custom in the Marines when asked your unit you give a numerical abbreviation of the battalion and regiment you’re assigned to. So, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment becomes 1/7. It is also customary to drop the term “Regiment,” so the “7th Marine Regiment” becomes the “7th Marines.”
[ii] The Battle for Guadalcanal was the main ground battle in the Soloman Islands campaign, which included Tulagi, Ford Island and the smaller islands in the Ford Island chain. There were also several naval battles, including the Battle of Savo Island, which is the U.S. Navy’s worst defeat in a single fleet action. Allied losses were one Australian cruiser (Canberra} and three American cruisers (Astoria, Quincy, Vincennes. Allied casualties were 1,023 died and 709 wounded. The Japanese suffered light damage. Two good online sources are The Solomon Islands Campaign: Guadalcanal and Battle of Savo Island, 9 August 1942)
[iii] The 7th Marines had been detached to Samo and would not rejoin the 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal until September 18.
[iv] “Chesty” Puller is a legend in the Marines and retired as a Lt. General.
[v] See Medal of Honor Museum for Sgt. Basilone’s Medal of Honor Citation.