Since were in Italy, it seems only fitting that on this Memorial Day I honor Italian-American Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone (November 4, 1916 - February 19, 1945) who received the nations highest military award for valor, the Medal of Honor, for heroism during the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II. He was the only Marine enlisted man to receive both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross in World War II. Johns parents were Italian immigrants here to pursue the dream. Because immigrants patriotism to the country was often questioned (sound familiar), many immigrants donated blood, worked in defense factories and purchased war bonds. Performance on the field of battle where blood was shed and lives lost, however, was the peerless test of patriotism. Gunnery Sergeant Basilone served three years in the United States Army with honorable duty in the Philippines. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1940, and was deployed to Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, the Solomon Islands, and Guadalcanal where he held off 3,000 Japanese troops after his 15-member unit was reduced to two other men. After a brief stint back home where he was paraded around as a hero to help sell war bonds, the motivated gunny asked to see more action. The Corps obliged and sent him to Iwo Jima. On the first day of the Battle of Iwo Jima, Basilone single-handedly destroyed an enemy strong point but was killed in action while doing so. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism. He has received many honors including being the namesake for streets, military locations, and a United States Navy destroyer. Read more about him and other extraordinary Italian-Americans here:
Posted on: Mon, 26 May 2014 09:13:35 +0000
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