Year Title Role Notes 1999 On the Q.T. He was the only Marine to be awarded the Medal of Honor in World War II. Basilone received numerous honors, including the following: John Basilone receiving the Medal of Honor in 1943. 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 . Thank you for your comments.My father and your fathers dedicated service in the Pacific will not be forgotten by me.The Basilones John and Lena were legends. I agree with you, for theres more to the story then meets the eye. What would make someone cut the connection so completely, yet state that she had the best?, Miss she had the man he was worth more than any material thing she had and her memory of him was enough for her. I love my Vietnam compadres and family. Was your father on the bridge when that occurred? At first they did not want to acknowledge Lena had the rank of Sgt. My uncle, A surgeon eventually took care off me and it worked good. I have been a combat veteran from the Vietnam era to Iraq. She remained active with the Women's Marine Association and died in June 1999 at 86 years of age. What an amazing lady. He is one of the reasons why I joined the Marine Corp! Oh, my, it must have been terrible for her. The younger people have never learned this and it is a strange concept to them . Regards,Doc, Robin: I second a lot of Pauls comments. GOD bless you, and thank you for evidently just being you. She was also constantly on top of mess hall sanitation too, which hers was the best on Pendleton. I found that the combatants descended into a savage war the like I hope we never see again. My god she was a hero as well as her husband. That was their mistake. The date was February 19, 1945. In October, he and the two machine-gun sections under his command held off an attack by a numerically far superior Japanese force. [1] His father, Salvatore Basilone, emigrated from Colle Sannita, in the province of Benevento, Italy and settled in Raritan. Lena was notified of his death on March 7, 1945 -- her 32nd birthday. 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 met Lena at Pendleton,it took a while because Lena was her own woman and a noncomissioned officer whe eventually attained the rank of Master Sergeant, She did not rush to John immediately as you saw in the Pacific but once she did they were head over heels for each other.John was a no nonsense Gunnery Sergeant and was very good with a machine gun and thats what got him the Congressional Medal of Honor(equivalent to a Victoria Cross). It has a cost, a soldiers life. She was a patriotic American to the core!! As I have grown up and I served many others became my family when I lost my dad to cancer.They filled in as role models and kept on the right path. After his request to return to the fleet was approved, Basilone was assigned to "C" Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division. [15] They honeymooned at an onion farm near Portland, Oregon.[16]. 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. As a veteran, I have profound respect for her service to this country. Thats typical. I wished he didnt go back to war but he was truly a hero and great marine. [21] His widow, Lena M. Basilone, died on June 11, 1999, aged 86, and is buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California. John Basilone whom she was aware of. (source). They served with me steadfastly for almost 34 years ,over 1/2 my lifetime. I had to settle for the Army. How Cpl John Mackie became the first Marine to earn the Medal of Honor. One must remember that Sgt Basilone volunteer to return to battle which he did not have too being a MOH recipient. When he requested again to return to the war, the request was approved. : My dad was the same way even though. GySgt John Basilones niece will be staying with me here in DC for the next few days. She purchased a home in Lakewood, California and lived there for over 50 years until her death. We do a ceremony every wednesday for Vets without Families WE look straight out on her grave Rest in Peace Lena Basilone. Some were there when I wanted to to be a Marines,and the rules said I could not be one. It wasnt until The Pacific miniseries came out that we realized Lena lived in Riverside and had we known we could have contacted her. He then attacked with grenades and demolitions, single-handedly destroying the entire strong point and its defending garrison. I have my lense of combat by which I can see why the Pacific descended into the cauldron of hell that it was, both sides fought brutally with equal gusto. The gave us a lot and we appreciated their help in return as they helped us vets adjust. She helped many veterans at the VA Medical center where she lived. Keep up the good work Women Marines Association! The Pacific War was one of the most savage wars ever fought. I got a lot of insights on it from my high school teachers who fought as Marines in the Pacific. Semper Fi. , Brad Garrett Wife Height, Is A Mobile Home Considered Real Property In Florida, Animated Music Videos . After I sent any piece of information I could find acknowledging her as Sgt. Both Eisenhower and Patton wanted to keep on the heels of the Germans, which supposedely justified using the Remagen Bridge. He met his future wife, Lena Mae Riggi, while . Only fitting that they be together, (2 marines) who on earth will be angry for such an act. Though the battle was fierce and the Marines' defensive positions were being barraged, Sgt. Also, just as deeply in awe of Johns heroism, his ultimate sacrifice, and Lenas continued devotion to him for over 50 years. I found your blog by chance and thoroughly enjoyed this article about Lena. His actions at Guadalcanal earned him the Medal of Honor. I pray for all of them. She lived in California, worked for the electric company, and volunteered to serve in several organizations related to Marine. us army combat medic i, FORT HOOD, Texas (Dec.11, 2022) Members of the search fire and rescue team, assigned to the Marine Corps Chemical, Biological Incident Response Force, saws through concrete while conducting a rescue during Exercise Sudden Response 23 at Fort Hood, Texas Dec. 11, 2022. She had made peace with her loss alone, without receiving any compassion from them. 1939. I think I am beginning to understand Lena a bit better. Instead, Iwo Jima turned out to be a life raft. Others fought at Peleliu and Okinawa.These soldiers endured a war likes of which I hope is not repeated, but I am pessimistic with this assessment in todays world right now..HBO actually brought this very unpublicized area of WW II alive. I served for 34 years nearly and the others did service from 4-30 years.I definitely appreciate what family did in Vietnam. Although she was just. I salute everybody and those of us who survived. I am a huge fan of hers and her husband. I never get tired of watching Pacific.My dad was in the Navy 22 yrs, served in the Pacific,in all the island hopping campaigns. News of John's death, which had occurred on February 19th, 1945, did not reach home until March 8th, 1945, a Thursday. Born on November 4, 1916 in Ruritan, New Jersey, Basilone was the six of ten children in an Italian family and would grow up as a tough young man. Just watched the TV series The Pacific here in Cape Town, South Africa, during lockdown. The USS Basilone, was decommissioned in 1977. People can see the war in the Pacific through the eyes of the Marines clearly.This is something cant be avoided or entered into withtout thought as to what can happen Respectfully.SSG RickDocBorenstein(Retired) combat Medic. I have to just say Thank you to everyone who is in any branch of the military who reads this. After her funeral I had copies of their wedding picture made and sent to those who attended and left their addresses (I sent other things also, but cant remember exactlynow that I am 80!) John stood up to run. My daddy was killed in Germany at the battle at the Remagen Bridge in 1945. It may seem an unusual choice for many women, but based on what Im learning about Lenas life so farit was a perfectly natural choice for her! Her life and her love is a chapter sadly left untold. WowI just started reading Im Staying With My Boys, the book about her husband. She died 55 years after her husband, in 1999, and was buried wearing her wedding ring. I salute her, Ms. Garner: I saw the PACIFIC documentary. I have a flag and it has the names of family and friends named on it. They had been married for 7.3 months. Lena passed away in 1999 at age 86 and is buried at Riverside National Cemetery at plot 50 grave 5557 with the epitaph "wife of Sgt John Basilone USMC". Women recently won an important victory, they now can be combat arms officers. Born in Buffalo, New York, on 4 November 1916, he went to St. Bernard Parochial School in Raritan and enlisted in the Army at the age of 18. If so where can I find it. DocBorenstein Lena loved her volunteer work at the VA Hospital in Long Beach. Thats a hard thing to take, but she took it and carried on. A colossal critical and commercial failure, it essentially marked the end of Hunter's career as a major Hollywood player. She helped a lot of soldiers out throughout her long life of service.I thing she wanted to remain in the background. I am a retired US Army medic that served for 33 1/2 years. I have had 7 combat campaigns to boot too Lena was not not much for publicity and kept a low profile. My family is most Army AF Navy and yes Marines. I do miss her to this day. Women make the Marines the effective force they are today.Without Lena, this would not have occurred as easily. . Basilone in his personal humility and unwavering dedication to the men who served with him, became a true hero of the American people during World War II."-John Basilone. The video explains why the rifle is such an efficient, and ultimately dangerous, weapon. January. I think their story is wonderful, and I am honoring our heritage as women in the Marines and her service to our nation by writing about the lost story of her life. 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. Peter J. Basilone, register of wills for Baltimore County and a former state legislator, died Thursday of liver cancer at his Towson residence. Your email address will not be published. But his place was with "my boys", so he ignored the vision and returned to battle . [17][18][19], His actions helped Marines penetrate the Japanese defense and get off the landing beach during the critical early stages of the invasion. I miss Lena even it was a brief time I knew her .Regards,SSG Rick Doc Borenstein Ret, Hi Barbara, After seeing pacific and reading about John Basilone i have so much admiration for the both of them. It's simply . My intrest was to watch what my two Uncles had gone through as they were in all those battles amongst all the Marines. The memorial parade for Basilone along Somerset Street in his hometown of Raritan, New Jersey, has been held since 1981. She was buried at Riverside National Cemetary at her request. The bridge at Remagen , as known as the Luddendorf bridge named after the WW I general, Eric Ludenddorf, it was a railroad bridge. John Basilone was born to be a United States Marine. Just thought her comment about not wanting to be a bother to anyone was a bit unusual..but am beginning to see that it was instead just very much in her character. I think you went through a tougher ringer than I did with exception for Iraq. Why was no other keel ever laid down in his honor? He became a doctor and served his community well. Lena would have been one mess sergeant I would never worry about because she ran a very efficient mess hall and really cared about the food and other things mess halls served. From her Find-A-Grave entry and her obituary: Lena Mae Riggi was born on March 7, 1913 in Portland, Oregon. Legacy. My father was a medic,like me. Leatherneck November 1988. [8] After driving trucks for a few years, he wanted to go back to Manila and believed he could get there faster by serving in the Marine Corps rather than in the Army. It the untold storys you eventually get to hear that you never forget Im so glad that this was shared, Marie: Lena was the pioneer for what the post WWII Marine corps would be today.Women are playing a vital role in what occurs in the modern USMC today. 75 years after, my heart had broke. However, in my research: Ive discovered several factual errors in the miniseries re: the episodes showing the courtship of John and Lena. He spoke very little about it. Thank you, to the Sergeants Basilone for their service, and may God have united you again in heaven. Wow! But the cynicism did not last, and Lena and John married in the summer of 1944: On July 3, 1944, he reenlisted in the Marine Corps. My mother was a lot like Lena. During World War II she enlisted in the Marine Corps. to me it was a tough and frustrating war in many ways. He along with many Marines fought like tigercats on that island.Eugene Sledge,Robert Leckie,and RV Burgin were heroes of that island .I too took part during the Vietnam era in combat in Korea(limited basis),Desert Storm,Bosnia(peacekeeper)and Iraq.The war of my father and the Marines was a much more intense combat.Those men rose to the occassion espeically John Basilone at Guadalcanal. I grew up learning all about both of them.The Marines were blessed to have these soldiers.This is why we are a free country by their mere presence She got so excited around Christmas when it was time to get gifts together to take to the wounded war heroes!! Virginia Grey is now deceased. . Lena's obituary notes that she never remarried and was buried still wearing . United States Government. Having Served 21 years of Active Duty from 1970 to 1992. Such a self-effacing woman she must have been, all the while doing so much good for others! He was an Army NCO in his mind. It seems her Upgrade to Sgt . Stella. Highest Regards,SSG Rick Doc Borenstein, Thank you Barbara for your kind words. I think it is what spooked him from combat. After he was released from active duty, Basilone returned home and worked as a truck driver in Reisterstown, Maryland. 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. Was never properly entered into her service records. We both turned down comissions to be officers many times in spite of field commanders and general recommendations. or what its supposed to be. He was killed on February 19, 1945 in an exchange of heavy gunfire on Iwo Jima. strips, they finally agreed to put Sgt.on her grave marker. Lena never forgot us and took care of us. Please feel free to email me at Alison.bardeguez@usmc.mil. I am affiliated with many WWII and Viet Nam vets and we never talk about what happened over there as much as you have on this forum. They are Medal of Honor RECIPIENTS. I had members of my family who served in the USMC and some were on Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima. Hi, your very lucky to have known Lena Basilone. I see that your family had a lot of marines and sailors, as are some members of my family. 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. The Marines and Army suffered over 10000 casualities.. God Bless, her and her husband!!!! Brother & Sister. His widow, Lena M. Basilone, died June 11, 1999, aged 86, and is buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California. I just have very much respect for both John and Lena for making the personal sacrifice, and for John making the ultimate sacrifice. From what I have learned about her from you and others Lena was a very independent woman. He served as a medic like I did and later became a doctor. They finally agreed to wife of Sgt.John Basilone. they have only received veterans status within the last 15-20 years. As she moved into her 80s, health issues began to crop up. I just saw this site today for the first time. Lena too lived a life of service Helping many veterans. Thank God she had someone. This is an extraordinary piece of History. Lena M. Basilone died June 11, 1999, at the age of 86, and was buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California . Medal of Honor citation. She is in town for the Iwo Jima Reunion and Symposium and working on his documentary. During her time there she met John Basilone, a Marine and the first United States decorated World War II hero. Another USS John Basilone is On the night of October 24/25, 1942, some 3,000 Japanese troops attacked the U.S. Marines defending the Lunga perimeter and Henderson Field. John Basilone's passing at the age of 66 on Sunday, February 5, 2023 has been publicly announced by Bradley and Stow Funeral Home in Medford, NJ. He also was at Peleliu with the the 321st or 81st divisions he never said much about it. Lena was a person who lived life with a low profile and she was laid to rest in Riverside countys VA cemetery. The . i am very proud of both my brothers as they got many commendations from their service. David Rodgers: I found MSG Riggi was a marine of her own and even so at Long Beach VA. She said being married to John Basilone was the best thing in her life. She was such a compassionate, no nonsense, spirited lady. She had much empathy for every veteran. Death and burial ground of Basilone, John, "Manila John". . I think this battlespooked him. Although the Veterans Administration offered to bury Lena in Arlington Cemetery near her husband, she refused the offer saying she didnt want to cause trouble for anyone. During her participation in WWII bond drives, she developed a close relationship with John Basilone, US Marine Medal of Honor recipient, who was later killed on Iwo Jima. [13], While stationed at Camp Pendleton, Basilone met his future wife, Lena Mae Riggi, who was a sergeant in the Marine Corps Women's Reserve. We also appreciated the material contributions you made to the war effort.As medics, my father and I kept many people alive when injured but we also kept them up mentally and maintained their health. From what Ive read they gained a lot of prestige. Thank you? Within hours of landing on Iwo Jima, where he forcibly got his men up and off the beach, Basilone was killed by an enemy mortar round at age 27. My uncles are marine and Navy vets as well as my two brothers who are Marines. The Basilone Family and Raritan Learns of John's Death. I finally got to see the Pacificand I was just blown away! Jesse:Do not ever feel disappointed that you could not serve.We volunteered as did the Basilones. Whether Geneva convention rules exist or not, you use weapons or do what it take to win.. I have studied the war in the Pacific. She was stationed at Camp Pendleton where she served as a field cook on the base attaining the rank of Sergeant. I learned from others like uncles, friends and comrades. Hi Barbara! His arrival was highly publicized, and his hometown held a parade in his honor when he returned. I ran into her at the Long beach veterans amdinisitration hospital and she helped through the bureaucratic maze and was with me the entire day,I have never forgottten her. if anyone knows about a documentary about them please let me know? sabrinammessenger..WELL SAID!! The lady was happy to know that Lena was also a Portland Marine. It was so my privilege to know Lena as my dear friend! Lena was a pioneer and an example many Marines can follow, I forgot to comment on you father. Few veterans around the world have a system like and we can make it better. The Remagen bridge commanders I think forgot about safety, which at that time the bridge was needed to get men and equipment into Germany to sustain the offensive they started. "If the Japanese force got through Basilone . I am a huge fan of him and his wife. Basilone's wife, Lena Mae, never remarried. After John Basilone's death, his wife Lena never remarried. Basilone, a member of the U.S. Marines, received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his action . She is truely my hero as well as her husband. Women marines can be rifleman which it is only right and fair. John Basilone, a recipient of the . And finally, while home on leave, Basilone predicts his own death on Iwo Jima. The Marines had a Sullivans which I fell victim too, I wanted to be a Marine. I am glad that someone stepped in to be family for her. My father served in the Pacific and took part in the Central Pacific and Palau campaign(Peleliu). John Basilone killed at Iwo Jima Marc Lancaster Feb 19, 2022 1 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. Lena was a very strong woman. Basilone: Directed by David Nutter. I thank you for you service and recognize what you did for us soldiers Respectfully,SSG.RichardDocBorenstein(Retired) Combat Medic, Welcome David: My name is SSG RickDoc Borenstein I served in the US Army from 1973-2007 and retired. Lena was definitely one of a kind. Virginia Grey dated John Basilone in the past, but they have since broken up. I am a child of the Vietnam era and I was shaped by those soldiers who fought in Vietnam and adapted to them.
