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American hero John Basilone killed at Iwo Jima Marc Lancaster Feb 19, 2021 Among the approximately 300,000 Americans killed in action in World War II, John Basilone's death on Feb. 19, 1945 holds a unique place in the history of the conflict. He was the only Marine to be awarded both The . Once again ignoring the enemy fire around him, Basilone ran some 200 yards through hostile lines to an ammunition point, where he gathered up shells and then battled back to his gunners with the ammunition they needed to defend their position. John and Lena seemingly fell in love overnight. On the first day of the invasion, Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone, CMH, USMC became one of the fatal casualties. According to Lenas niece, Fiddle Viracola, Lena would always say Great love only happens once. This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Try again later. John Basilone Essays | ipl.org - Internet Public Library Sorry! John Basilone was both a lover and a fighter. Oops, we were unable to send the email. He opted not to go to highschool, and joined the Army looking for "adventure.". In December, Basilone returned to the Pacific, headed for Iwo Jima. The Demmin Mass suicide- A final desperate act. Lena Riggi of the Marine Corps Womens Reserve, and the two married on July 10. Gunnery Sgt. The words echoed in my ears long after Id left him. It killed them all.. Please reset your password. On his way, Basilone spotted three Sherman tanks struggling up the beach under heavy fire. He was briefing his guys when a mortar scored a direct hit. Biography - A Short Wiki. Failed to delete memorial. As he did his part, Basilone made it clear he wanted to return to the front, but the Marine Corps believed he was more valuable in public relations than on the battlefield. To use this feature, use a newer browser. He boxed in the Army, before he was sent to the Philippines. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. She was tough, said Basilone in Hero of the Pacific. He wanted, more than anything, to have a wife and a family of his own. He never saw his wife again. He said that when he and some buddies were hunting for their headquarters: A few hundred yards from Motoyama Field No. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. He received the Medal of Honor, the . I liked this girl. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? She also was a faithful member of the Liberty Baptist Church of Long Beach. After news of the decoration went public in the summer of 1943, he returned home that September to embark on a war bond tour, which was standard practice for well-publicized heroes during the war. Basilone's time for heroism at Guadalcanal came on October 24, 1942. The Marine Corps refused, saying he was more valuable in the States selling War Bonds. Ryan Manion, president of the Travis Manion Foundation that assists veterans . While there, he fell in love with a female Marine sergeant, Lena Mae Riggi. While at Camp Pendleton, John met and married Lena Mae Riggi, a Sergeant in the Marine Corps Womens Reserve on July 10, 1944. Marine's heroism gave him legendary status - San Diego Union-Tribune Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map.