John Basilone: The Marine Hero of Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima

For an ordinary man, ‘Manila John’ did extraordinary things. Despite a short life, Basilone accomplished great acts of heroism and patriotism. Born on November 4, 1916 in Buffalo, New York and raised in Raritan, New Jersey, Basilone would go on to become the first U.S. Marine of enlisted rank to earn the Congressional Medal of Honor during World War II. He was also the only enlisted Marine to earn the Navy Cross posthumously.

Basilone enlisted in the U.S. Army just before his 18th birthday in 1934. He was sent to the Philippines as an infantryman from 1934 to 1937. While in the (at the time) U.S. colony, Basilone became a champion boxer and fell in love with the style of life there. Three years after his return to the United States, Basilone enlisted in the Marines, thinking he would be more likely to return to the Philippines in that service. His Marine service did take him to the Far East, but, sadly, he never saw his beloved Manila again.

After Pearl Harbor, the U.S. joined the fight against Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan and Fascist Italy. America’s late entry into WWII has drawn criticism, but there was no doubt that once America joined, it came with full force. Basilone’s unit (1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division) soon found themselves in the thick of the fighting defending the island of Guadalcanal. Guadalcanal was where this ordinary man’s extraordinary courage first showed itself.

Guadalcanal was as rough a posting as any soldier could want. Situated well within Japan’s emerging empire, it was vital to the Americans–and the Japanese wanted them out. Allied forces had captured an airstrip at Henderson Field, which allowed Allied aircraft to strike Japanese forces. In response, the Japanese naval force known as the Tokyo Express regularly bombarded the airfield and American positions. The fight for Guadalcanal was long and bloody, and Basilone was smack in the middle of it.

john basilone — John Basilone awarded the Medal of Honor 1943
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

During October 24 and 25 in 1942, the Marines faced a frontal assault from over 3,000 Japanese troops of the Sendai Division. The Japanese, probably World War II’s best jungle fighters, attacked in typical Samurai fashion. The troops regarded death in battle as something to aspire to, not fear. Commanding two machine gun sections, Basilone readily obliged their aspirations. The citation for his Congressional Medal of Honor described his efforts in the battle.

“In a fierce frontal attack with the Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sgt. Basilone’s sections, with its guncrews, was put out of action, leaving only two men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire, repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrived.”

A brave effort indeed, but ‘Manila John’ wasn’t finished yet. His citation continues:

“A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. Basilone, at great risk of his life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way through enemy lines with urgently needed shells for his gunners, thereby contributing in large measure to the virtual annihilation of a Japanese regiment.”

Yes! I also want to get the Early Bird Books newsletter featuring great deals on ebooks.

Thirty-eight bodies were left around the gun that Basilone had personally manned. His mission to collect ammunition for his gunners saw him fighting through Japanese lines on foot both ways, using a pistol. Not surprisingly, his commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis ‘Chesty’ Puller, recommended Basilone receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. It was well deserved.

The newly-promoted Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone, CMH, USMC, was sent home for publicity tours. But Basilone wasn’t happy. Like many soldiers, Basilone disliked celebrity and hero-worship. Within months, he requested re-assignment to the Pacific. The Corps refused, offering a commission and a safe posting stateside.

His national war bond tour had earned him ticker-tape parades, newsreel coverage, and a spot in Life magazine, but he wanted to be in the front line with his fellow Marines. He reportedly said, “I’m just a plain soldier and want to stay one. I ain’t no officer and I ain’t no museum piece. I belong back with my outfit.”

Eventually, the Corps relented. Basilone went to Camp Pendleton to train for combat in the Pacific. There he met his wife, fellow Marine Sergeant Lena Mae Riggi, who became Mrs. Basilone in July 1944. In December, Basilone returned to the Pacific, headed for Iwo Jima. He never saw his wife again.

Iwo Jima was a bloodbath. Over 20,000 Japanese troops defended it: Only about 200 of them are known to have survived. The Marine Corps suffered nearly 26,000 casualties, of whom nearly 7,000 were killed in action. On the first day of the invasion, Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone, CMH, USMC became one of the fatal casualties.

Attacking the Japanese-held Airfield One on February 19, 1945, Basilone was killed. By then he’d already risked his life pushing two bogged-down Sherman tanks out of the mud, and had killed numerous Japanese soldiers. According to his Navy Cross citation:

‘In the forefront of the assault at all times, [Basilone] pushed forward with dauntless courage and iron determination until, moving upon the edge of the airfield, he fell, instantly killed by a bursting mortar shell.’

He was 28 years old. Basilone’s actions just before his death would posthumously earn him a Navy Cross and Purple Heart. Basilone was the only Marine who was awarded these three major citations (Navy Cross, Purple Heart, and Medal of Honor) during World War II.

Basilone’s wife, Lena Mae, never remarried. She died 55 years after her husband, in 1999, and was buried wearing her wedding ring. Aside from numerous decorations, Basilone received other honors for his bravery. The U.S. Navy named a destroyer after him in 1945, which Lena Mae christened. Another USS John Basilone is scheduled for commission in 2019. He also appeared in the ‘Distinguished Marines’ postage stamp series and was a central character in the HBO series The Pacific.

The U.S. Marine Corps still consider him a soldier’s soldier, a Marine’s Marine. He lies beside many of America’s heroes in Arlington National Cemetery. You can find Basilone’s grave in section 12, Grave 384.