. He told of the night of October 24. Sgt. 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. John Basilone of the U.S. Marine Corps Simon Farmilo Apr 18 1 A Fairy-tale Cut Short John Basilone and Lena Basilone on their wedding day July 10, 1944 (Courtesy: St. Mary's Star Shown here is the original church. Courtesy of The Raritan Library. His widow, Lena M. Basilone, died 11-06-1999, aged 86, in Lakewood, Los Angeles County, California, USA and is buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California. His wife, Lena, christened it in Boston Harbor. It may seem counter-intuitive to pursue a marriage in such extenuating circumstances, especially with Basilone's impending deployment; however, both agreed and Basilone, simply . After only seven months, the two were married. Basilone died before he and his new wife had time to have children. Outmanned and with supplies low, Basilone and other marines on Guadacanal rally to repel superior Japanese forces. He is often discussed in Marine Corps history classes but no one ever mentions that his wife was a Marine too. They were married at St. Mary's Star of the Sea Church in Oceanside, California, on July 10, with a reception at the Carlsbad Hotel. Sergeant Lena Mae Basilone, USMC(WR), ship's sponsor, prepares to christen the destroyer, at the Consolidated Steel Company Shipyard, Orange, Texas, on 21 December 1945. Lena Basilone died in 1999 at age 86. Section 12, Grave 384. May 3, 2010 12 AM PT. John was employed by the . In the early 1930s, he became a member of the Group Theater.In 1937, he moved to Hollywood, eventually becoming one of Warner Bros.' stars. Lena Mae Riggi was born on March 7, 1913 in Portland, Oregon. She was the widow of Gunnery Sergeant John J. Basilone, USMC, in whose honor the ship was named. The Basilone Family and Raritan Learns of John's Death. The United States Naval service launched the destroyer "USS Basilone" (DDE/DD-824), named in his honor, in December 1945. He was the only enlisted Marine in World War II to receive both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross. Born in 1916 #15. . femalemarine, television Post navigation Throughout 1943 and 1944, his brothers of 1/7 had fought and died in New Guinea and Peleliu. He courageously fought his lung cancer for many years. I claim nothing in this video. End note 456 reads: At least 38 dead Japanese were credited to Sergeant Basilone -- many were killed with his Colt .45 at almost arms length. Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone (1916-1945) was awarded the Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism in combat at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, in October 1942. I asked if he had known Basilone. By William Douglas Lansford. Spread the love, be a good person, they support you, be nice." . The number 456 references one of hundreds of end notes in the back of the book. When she reached adulthood she left Oregon to attend business school. Age: 86 (3/7/1913 - 6/11/1999) Lena Mae Basilone's Relationships (1) Check out our New "Top 10 Worst . John Basilone: his birthday, what he did before fame, his family life, fun trivia facts, popularity rankings, and more. They were married on July 7, 1944 and spent some time . John Basilone's Medal of Honor and War Bonds Tours . Basilone: Directed by David Nutter. Sgt. Madly in love by all accounts from their time at Camp Pendleton, Lena and John would enjoy just seven months as husband and wife before John's fateful landing on Red Beach II of Iwo Jima in February 1945. Virginia Grey (March 22, 1917 - July 31, 2004) was an American actress who appeared in over 100 films and a number of radio and television shows from the 1930s to the early 1980s. initially attracted Basilone to Riggi was both her dedication to the Corps, but also the way she treated him, like a normal person as oppose to celebrity he had become. Lena never remarried and when she died in 1999, she was buried wearing her wedding ring. John was the husband of Deborah Bachman-Basilone, his best friend of over 50 years who became his loving and devoted wife. The military's standard procedure is to notify the family before the media. Two years after he was born, the family moved back to Raritan and John grew up there. Lena was notified of his death on March 7, 1945 -- her 32nd birthday. It was knocked down in 1962. Marine Sergeant John Basilone receives his Medal of Honor in recognition of his heroism on Guadalcanal on October 24-25, 1942. "It brings back so many memories." Sgt. The Basilones lived on one side of the house while a Bengivenga family lived on the other side. Her parents were Italian immigrants. During this time, John met and married his wife, Marine SGT Lena Mae Riggi. Though, he was born in Buffalo, New York, his parents were residents of Raritan, New Jersey earlier. John A. Basilone, Sr., 75 of Allentown passed away peacefully and entered into Heaven on November 26, 2021. Check below for more deets about John Basilone. It was a two-family home that was owned by Dora's family. John Basilone's relationship with Lena Mae Basilone ended when John Basilone died on February 19, 1945. He was the only enlisted Marine to receive both of these . Basilone served and died with the 1st Battalion, 27th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division during the . Plenty Documentaries out there in case you don't know who he or. Born in Union City to the late George C. and Julia Berndt (nee Kaiser), she was . This page will put a light upon the John Basilone bio, wiki, age, birthday, family details, affairs, controversies, caste, height, weight, rumors, lesser-known . 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 . John Basilone (November 4, 1916 - February 19, 1945) was a United States Marine Gunnery Sergeant who received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Guadalcanal during World War II. , Brad Garrett Wife Height, Is A Mobile Home Considered Real Property In Florida, Animated Music Videos . During her time there she met John Basilone, a Marine and the first United States decorated World War II hero. John Basilone - Photos of his Family: This photo of John's family was taken (after his death) in the late 1940s: The Basilone home was located on the corner of First Ave. & Route 202. Angelo Basilone 74, from Newark NJ, passed away peacefully in his Toms River home on January 27, 2022. John Basilone was born to be a United States Marine. John Basilone and his wife Lena during their wedding, 7 months before his death at Iwo Jima. Marine Sergeant Lena Basilone was the wife of Medal of Honor recipient John Basilone,one of the famous Marines every Marine Corps recruit learns about at boot camp. He was the sixth of the ten children of the couple. October 1944 [816 x 625] Close. John Basilone died on February 19, 1945 at the age of 28 years. His parents, who had lived in Raritan, New Jersey prior to John's birth, moved the family back to Raritan in . A dear friend and an adopted member of our detachment, Millie Epifanio, reported for her Final Post yesterday morning 11 June. It was on Guadalcanal, part of the Solomon Islands chain. John Basilone (04 November 1916 to 19 February 1945) was a United States Marine Corps gunnery sergeant who received the Medal of Honour 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 . The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal The American Defense Service Medal The Inter Allied Victory Medal (Great Britain) In December 1944, Basilone returned to the Pacific, headed toward Iwo Jima. Millie was an original WWII Army WAC (Women's Army Corps) who served from 1943-1946. Bullets hit him in the right groin, the neck, and just about blew off his left arm completely. Basilone is interred in Arlington National Cemetery, in Section 12, Grave 384, grid Y/Z 23.5. He spent his years growing up in Stephen Crane Village where he made many memories that he carried with him throughout all of his years. . . Iwo Jima and death If you want to learn more about John and Lena Basilone, watch the superb miniseries "The Pacific." Some time ago, I met an elderly man. They honeymooned at an onion farm near Portland, Oregon. "The Pacific" is a 10-part miniseries that shadows the lives of three Marines Robert Leckie, John Basilone and Eugene Sledge through the Pacific Theatre in World War II. In the steaming jungles of Guadalcanal, two sections of heavy .30-caliber machine guns at the Tenaru River were in charge of defending a narrow pass to Henderson Airfield in the S In the steaming jungles of Guadalcanal, two sections of heavy .30-caliber machine guns at the Tenaru River were in charge of defending a narrow pass to Henderson Airfield in the Solomon Islands. However, in John's case, something got mixed up. At least 38 dead Japanese were credited to Sergeant Basilone -- many were killed with his Colt .45 at almost arms length. During brutal fighting with heavy casualties on both sides, he killed at least 38 Japanese soldiers. Below are color photos from her trip along side black and white photos from the battle in 1945 Lena Riggi Edit Sergeant Lena Mae Riggi Basilone (formerly Lena Mae Riggi) was the love interest, and eventual wife of John Basilone Contents 1 History 1.1 Meeting John Basilone 1.2 Dating and Marriage 1.3 Widowed 1.4 Later Life 2 Trivia 3 See Also History Lena was born in 1913. Biography - A Short Wiki Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant who earned the Medal of Honor for his bravery at Guadalcanal. Sergeant Lena Mae Basilone, USMC (WR), ship's sponsor, prepares to christen the destroyer, at the Consolidated Steel Company Shipyard, Orange, Texas, on 21 December 1945. He attended Barringer High School and later on worked as a truck . Lena Mae Basilone, USMC (WR), widow of John Basilone, prepares to christen the destroyer USS Basilone (December 21, 1945) In February of 1945, Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone was back in the Pacific with the 5 th Marine Division, part of the invasion force for the invasion of Iwo Jima, known by the military code name Operation Detachment . John Basilone (November 4, 1916 - February During this time, John met and married his wife, Marine SGT Lena Mae Riggi. U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant John "Manila John" Basilone was presented the Medal of Honor for military valor during World War II. John Basilone was born on 4 November 1916, to Salvatore Basilone and Theadora Bencivenga. Manila John: The Life and Combat Actions of Marine Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone, Hero of Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima - Kindle edition by Grasso, Joseph A.. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. After the war, Basilone's body was re-interred in . Either civilian life did not agree with Basilone or he missed life in uniform, or both. He was born on February 26, 1923 in Raritan, son of the late Mary & Charles Orecchio. Throughout 1943 and 1944, his brothers of 1/7 had fought and died in New Guinea and Peleliu. He would much rather, he insisted, be just a "plain Marine" like his buddies who were . Obituary. 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. Wife of John Basilone. It served from 1945 until 1977, when it was stricken from the Naval lists with a total of 32 years in service. It happened 50 years ago in October 1942. They honeymooned at an onion farm near Portland, Oregon . He met his future wife, Lena Mae Riggi, while she was serving as a Marine Corps Women's Reserve officer at Camp Pendleton. He is often discussed in Marine Corps history classes but no one ever mentions that his wife was a Marine too.