Thanks for visiting History and Headlines! Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. 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. Basilone returned to the Pacific to continue fighting in the war. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases via links in the Historical Evidence sections of articles. His men were killed and only Basilone and two other Marines were left by the end of the fight. His helmet was half off, and he lay face up, arched over his combat pack, with his jacket torn back and his mouth open. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? After serving there, he was sent back home. Company C was advancing half a mile ahead, sweeping the flat field clean, when one of the dead caught my eye. The invasion of Iwo Jima continued for five weeks; however, his action proved pivotal for the Marines to get off the beach in the beginning stage of the invasion. Echovita Inc is a registered trademark. He was predeceased by : his parents, Eugene Felix and Helen Jean Basilone of Riverside, NJ. The shell had landed at his feet, sending shrapnel into his groin, neck and left arm. Although he did not know it at the time he left Camp Pendleton, Basilone was destined to participate in the Marine amphibious landings on Iwo Jima. Often described as a decorated American hero and a Marine Corps legend, John Basilone was, in his heart, an ordinary family man. After the enemy had put one of Basilones gun sections out of action, leaving only two men able to carry on, Basilone picked up a 90-pound .30-caliber machine gun and tripod, ran 200 yards to the silenced gun section, and started firing point blank into the charging Japanese. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. On October 24, 1942, John Basilone was supporting the war effort in the Lunga Area. Basilone was in charge of two sections of heavy machine gunsabout 16 men. For one Marine, those two paths were intertwined. JUNE 16, 1999 Although the romance was a whirlwind and the conditions were not ideal, the two seemed destined for a life together. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. Write your message of sympathy today. In February of 1945, Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone was back in the Pacific with the 5th Marine Division, part of the invasion force for the invasion of Iwo Jima, known by the military code name Operation Detachment. Among the approximately 300,000 Americans killed in action in World War II, John Basilones death on Feb. 19, 1945 holds a unique place in the history of the conflict. . History Short: Napoleon Bonaparte Learns a Hard Lesson! It is with great sadness that we announce the death of John R Basilone of Pemberton, New Jersey, who passed away on February 5, 2023, at the age of 66, leaving to mourn family and friends. I belong back with my outfit.. He looked incredibly thin, like an undernourished kid, with his hands on his stomach as though it hurt. View all posts by dirkdeklein. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Thereafter, under heavy fire, he once again risked his life to move a trapped Marine tank out of the enemy mine field. Some time after noon I came across a group of blackened bodies on the edge of Motoyama Airfield No. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
