John Basilone (November 4, 1916 February 19, 1945) was a United States Marine Corps gunnery sergeant who was killed in action during World War II. Virginia Grey dated John Basilone in the past, but they have since broken up. She loved him very much. The Headstone indicated in the photograph, is not The Headstone at Her Grave. I hope in some small measure I brought honor to Lena. . Also, just as deeply in awe of Johns heroism, his ultimate sacrifice, and Lenas continued devotion to him for over 50 years. He then fought his way toward Airfield Number 1 and aided a Marine tank that was trapped in an enemy mine field under intense mortar and artillery barrages. I kind of figured Lenas headsone would not be in the location it was supposed to be. 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. Why was no other keel ever laid down in his honor? 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. Please let me know. [20], He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia. 22 daily Regards, Doc Thats why I talk about so others are not misinformed by the media, or teachers, Paul. Anyway it looks like John and Lena Basilone meet and fall in love during episode 8. Barbara Garner was a genuine daughter and family member to her. Think we need more people like Lena, your Dad, and yourself. Hair nets are an essential thing for mess hall personnel as I have been a Mess hall inspector as part of medic duties. There are few like them. To me John was a legend whose legacy will not be matched for a long time. and we lost fewer soldiers because of better medical. 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. Died February 19, 1945, Iwo Jima, Japan Spouse Lena Mae . They had been married for 7.3 months. Sgt Lena sounds like a very strong and amazing woman. Basilone grew up in the nearby Raritan Town (now Borough of Raritan) where he attended St. Bernard Parochial School. Just before his 18th birthday, Basilone enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the Philippines as an infantryman from 1934 to 1937. Deeply moved and deeply saddened by the story of John and Lena. 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. (reprinted by the John Basilone Stamp Campaign), John Basilone meets the Mayor of New York, Last edited on 21 February 2023, at 22:45, List of historically notable United States Marines, List of Medal of Honor recipients for World War II, "Annual John Basilone Parade stirs feelings of patriotism, Jersey pride", "Four Distinguished Marines Saluted on U.S. Postage Stamps", United States Army Center of Military History, "Resort Style Senior Living | California Lutheran Homes | Carlsbad by the Sea", "The Story of Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone Part 3", "Burial Detail: Basilone, John (Section 12, Grave 384) Birth Date: 11/04/1916; Death Date: 02/19/1945; Interment Date: 04/20/1948", "Raritan Public Library "Basilone Room"Gy/Sgt John Basilone ribbons", "SCR 25 Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone Memorial Freeway", "company-c-fights-up-hill-battle-basilones-challenge", "Honoring One Marine To Remember Them All: WWII Hero Gets Plaque at Navy Memorial", "Raritan to honor its fallen son with 33rd Annual John Basilone Memorial Parade", "Raritan's World War II hero John Basilone inducted into NJ Hall of Fame", "JOHN BASILONE Historical Raritan (19161945)", Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, "John Basilone's Medal of Honor Ceremony remembered by Marine Sidney Phillips", United States Marine Corps History Division Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone Biography, Medal of Honor Recipients Depicted in Film, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Basilone&oldid=1140815348, An entry point onto Camp Pendleton from US, US Interstate 5 from the San Diego County line to Camp Pendleton to the south is called "Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone Memorial Highway", In 1944, Army Barracks from Washington state were moved to a site in front of. He was the only enlisted Marine to receive both of these . I served from Dec 73 to Jun 2007 in the Army and Air Force. : http://www.facebook.com/groups/10868541353/. Lena too lived a life of service Helping many veterans. Aside from numerous decorations, Basilone received other honors. She helped many veterans at the VA Medical center where she lived. "If the Japanese force got through Basilone . Aside from numerous decorations, Basilone received other honors for his bravery. Sergeant John Basilone's legacy is one of the most expansive and visible in Marine Corps history. The U.S. Navy named a destroyer after him in 1945, which Lena Mae christened. She must have been a great marine. All that being said THANK YOU for your service and I am truly happy and grateful that you returned home, MAY GOD BLESS YOU and your family. I sometimes wonder how my family members who fought on Peleliu,Okinawa, and Iwo Jima fought on an island cemetery,the constant artillery and mortar fire, and combat. Lena served an important role though,giving the soldier good chow was a morale booster. Another USS John Basilone is I met her sometime in 1986 when she visited our church and we became instant friends. His love for her was her memorial. She was such a compassionate, no nonsense, spirited lady. John Basilone MoH. Lena Basilone was a very independent and rugged individual, who epitomized what the USMC is all about. I hope that you dont get what Im saying to you wrong Im not beating you up its just saying what Ive learned from the older Marines was the thing to do. Being on the home front is just as valuable.When I was deployed, the letters,the care packages,and support for us kept us going.You people of the homefront keep our morale up more than you know. [5] In the Army, Basilone was initially assigned to the 16th Infantry at Fort Jay, New York, before being discharged for a day, reenlisting, and being assigned to the 31st Infantry.[6][7]. May they both rest in peace and live on in the history they helped write. His arrival was highly publicized, and his hometown held a parade in his honor when he returned. I have studied the war in the Pacific. I have stayed to true to taking care of the troops as a medic. So Ive been doing some research of my own. John was killed on Iwo Jima February 19, 1945 just seven months after marrying the love of his life and seven months before the allies would declare victory in the Pacific. Thank you for your insights. Lena had an important job, seeing that the mess hall efficiently functioned ,and providing good food to keep up morale.This is what Lena was all about. Why did she not want to be buried with or near him? 75 years after, my heart had broke. Regards, This is an extraordinary piece of History. It was so my privilege to know Lena as my dear friend! the bridge stood for 10 days and collapsed? Correction here: No such thing as a MOH winner. GOD bless you, and thank you for evidently just being you. Doc I would love to know if anyone knows of someone or is the person who knew Lena or even John or both while they served. I want to reduce veteran suicide statistic rate. Lena was a pioneer and an example many Marines can follow, I forgot to comment on you father. I believe they had no further contact with her. 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. From her Find-A-Grave entry and her obituary: Lena Mae Riggi was born on March 7, 1913 in Portland, Oregon. or what its supposed to be. Nick Name: Manila John Also Known As: Manila John Died At Age: 28 Family: Spouse/Ex-: Lena Mae Riggi (m. 1944) father: Salvatore Basilone mother: Theadora Bencivenga Born Country: United States Soldiers American Men Height: 1.8 m Died on: February 19, 1945 place of death: Ogasawara, Tokyo, Japan Ancestry: Italian American To Ssg Rick doc Borenstein almost every comment by you has included you and your family participation in various wars. 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. Hi Vera: I am pleased to read your post. If so where can I find it. And I hope that in some small way I brought joy to her life, I know she enriched mine ! The Democrat did not seek re-election for . Thank you for your time & Semper Fi, they have only received veterans status within the last 15-20 years. I would think she should be buried beside John Basilone., I think Arlington has different requirements from other cemeteries. He then repaired and manned another machine gun, holding the defensive line until relief arrived. BASILONE, JOHN United States Marine Corps VETERAN SERVICE DATES: Unknown DATE OF DEATH: 02/19/1945 DATE OF INTERMENT: 04/20/1948 BURIED AT: SECTION 12 SITE 384 ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. Stella. I found that the combatants descended into a savage war the like I hope we never see again. Just yesterday I was riding the bus in Portland, Oregon, when a woman boarded with her walker. The Basilones are a happy loving couple for the eternity. We will be running around all weekend for various events with the Commandant of the Marine Corps and of course multiple Iwo Jima survivors. I guess she told her friend Barbara that she didnt want to bother anyone which is silly. I am amazed that they kept their mental sanity, but did suffer from PTSD as I do. While he is training a company of recruits in the fine art of killing Japanese, Basilone meets Lena Riggi, a female Marine just turned 30 and cynical as hell about the advances of yet another lonely guy in uniform, especially a celebrity who can get the best tables at the nicest restaurants. He spoke very little about it. Lena saw to it that I got the care I needed that day and helped me work through the system there. I served 33 1/2 years from the Vietnam Era to Iraq.. . Lena helped many of us including me to get help from the VA.While I had briefly known her. She was every bit a Marine which I would follow anywhere. I do miss her to this day. I felt both sides descended in to a hell that was what unimaginable to the human mind. 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. And your efforts have been repaid many times over I am sure, by those who now know more about her. offspring chris havel wife; airigh 'n eilean; ontario bar exam results 2020. project zomboid ham radio frequencies; gunton hall rooms; kauai hotels kama'aina rate 2021; mary katherine backstrom net worth 2020; blackstone managing director salary. Thanks for posting her story. I am confident that they have been reunited and are now able to enjoy the chance to be together forever that the war took away from them. If any of you served with or knew Lena please let me know. Basilone was posthumously awarded the Marine Corps' second-highest decoration for valor, the Navy Cross, for extraordinary heroism during the battle of Iwo Jima. My father was on Peleiliu as a medic and thats what I think spooked him and he finished the war in Hawaii. It's simply . May 10, 2013!! Fortunately, I have known a lot of Lenas who I served with. I was a medic in Desert Storm, Korea,Bosnia, and Iraq. I am a huge fan of him and his wife. It seems her Upgrade to Sgt . For his actions during the battle, Basilone received the United States military's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor. 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. , Lena was a hero to me and so was John. I am a retired US Army medic that served for 33 1/2 years. The Marines had a Sullivans which I fell victim too, I wanted to be a Marine. I am proud to call John and Lena. One of her few, if not only, public appearances after Johns death was about nine months after he died. I again support Lenas generation and love what she did. She was never accepted by Johns family, as if she had taken him away from them. The John Basilone Memorial Parade is the only parade in the country honoring a World War II hero. The price of freedom is not cheap. Im such a fan my brother bought me a John Basilone t shirt. I tried your church and they had nothing and various places and people in Ca,You were so important to Aunt Lena. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of John R Basilone to pay them a last tribute. While the Marines landed, the Japanese concentrated their fire at the incoming Marines from heavily fortified blockhouses staged throughout the island. Having Served 21 years of Active Duty from 1970 to 1992. for service as set forth in the following CITATION: For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Lunga Area, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 October 1942. Although he appreciated the admiration, he felt out of place and requested to return to the operating forces fighting the war. During her time there she met John Basilone, a Marine and the first United States decorated World War II hero. On October 24, 1942, during the Battle for Henderson Field, his unit came under attack by a regiment of about 3,000 soldiers from the Japanese Sendai Division using machine guns, grenades, and mortars against the American heavy machine guns. 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. He is one of the reasons why I joined the Marine Corp! She was the wife of John Basilone, one of the famous Marines every Marine Corps recruit learns about at boot camp. She had a U.S. Marine Corps sign on the walker, so I asked her if she was a Marine. The Greatest Generation. Lena lives within a lot of us,sons of Pacific veterans and contemporary Marines and soldiers.Regards,SSG Rick ,Doc Borenstein, Hello Mrs. Barbara Garner, are an Italian lady and my name is Stella. RegardsDoc P.S. She is truely my hero as well as her husband. Gotta gp get em.,during a hail of gunfire.Later in other conflicts it was knowledge I definitely needed and used, as it save my life. The Basilone Family and Raritan Learns of John's Death. She is in town for the Iwo Jima Reunion and Symposium and working on his documentary. May they unit in heaven & continue their love story forever, Its the women our lives that makes coming home worth it. After his request to return to the fleet was approved, Basilone was assigned to "C" Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division. The bridge at Remagen , as known as the Luddendorf bridge named after the WW I general, Eric Ludenddorf, it was a railroad bridge. I see that your family had a lot of marines and sailors, as are some members of my family. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 October 1942. HBO did a wonderful job and I wish to see more great documentarylike shows that can bring history to life. I do not think man will ever exorcise the demons of war.I dont feel that the future holds a lot encouraging movement for ridding us of war. You may see an updated blog entry from me here in the coming day sharing what Ive discovered , Thank You Sabrina: I am glad to learn about these facts. This has been an exclusively a mans kingdom. Lets just say Ive become officially obsessed with the story. I have had 5 combat deployments and was spooked after Bosnia,my unit had a psychiatrist I saw him off duty for a year and the military was none the wiser. I warmly greet. Required fields are marked *. she had a positive impact on my life.. Lena left a positive legendary mark upon us, Hi Sabrina!! What a shame she is not buried with her husband. I needed urgent medical care at a VA medical center.Lena help cut much of the red tape get me in for care that very day.I have never forgotten what she did. They served with me steadfastly for almost 34 years ,over 1/2 my lifetime. Thank You David. 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. Regards, David, I still dont understand Lenas comment about not wanting to be a bother to anyone and NOT be buried near her husband to be quite strange. This weekend GySgt John Basilones niece will be staying with me here in DC for the Iwo Jima reunion and symposium as well as working on the official documentary of John Basilone and Lena Riggi. She was definitely an in charge Sergeant,but was well respected because she too could lead. What a debt we owe to that generation. One primary example was the Womens Air Service Pilots, out of Abilene Texas. I think you went through a tougher ringer than I did with exception for Iraq. In February 1945, he was killed in action on the first day of the invasion of Iwo Jima, after he single-handedly destroyed an enemy blockhouse and led a Marine tank under fire safely through a minefield. I think women can be and in many cases are better tank and infantry officers, as I have had aunts and grandmothers who were commanders in Israels Palmach.and later the Army.we now will have women NCOs too in positions of leadership they have rightly deserved. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism and died in February 1945 during the invasion of Iwo Jima. My uncle Murray a medic did duty with the USMC and Army on Okinawa, My other uncle Dwight did a week on Iwo Jima before he was wounded twice and got oft the Island. 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. I caught the tail end of it when we had to get our ADA missiles out of there. Lena was a very strong woman. During her time there she met John Basilone, a Marine and the first United States decorated World War II hero. Thats a hard thing to take, but she took it and carried on. I have never regret a moment of my 34 yrs of service. 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 . I salute her, Ms. Garner: I saw the PACIFIC documentary. My generation followed their example and I think its why I survived 5 conflicts with mild to moderate PTSD. I found your blog by chance and thoroughly enjoyed this article about Lena. Whether Geneva convention rules exist or not, you use weapons or do what it take to win.. As a combat veteran myself it was extremely realistic and told what it was like. My daddy was killed in Germany at the battle at the Remagen Bridge in 1945.