1. John Basilone 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.
John Basilone was the only enlisted Marine to receive both of these decorations in World War II.
John Basilone enlisted in the Marine Corps on June 3,1940, after serving three years in the United States Army with duty in the Philippines.
John Basilone was deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and in August 1942, he took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal.
John Basilone was one of only three Marines in that group to survive.
John Basilone's five older siblings were born in Raritan, New Jersey, before the family moved to Buffalo where John was born; they returned to Raritan in 1918.
John Basilone's mother, Theadora Bencivenga, was born in 1889 and grew up in Hillsborough, NJ, but her parents, Carlo and Catrina, came from Benevento.
John Basilone's parents met at a church gathering and married three years later.
John Basilone grew up in the nearby Raritan Town where he attended St Bernard Parochial School.
John Basilone worked as a golf caddy for the local country club before joining the military.
John Basilone enlisted in the United States Army in July 1934 and completed his three-year enlistment with service in the Philippines, where he was a champion boxer.
John Basilone enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1940, in Baltimore, Maryland.
John Basilone went to recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, followed by training at Marine Corps Base Quantico and New River.
John Basilone commanded two sections of machine guns which fought for the next two days until only John Basilone and two other Marines were left standing.
John Basilone moved an extra gun into position and maintained continual fire against the incoming Japanese forces.
John Basilone then repaired and manned another machine gun, holding the defensive line until relief arrived.
John Basilone was in a good emplacement, and causing the Japanese lots of trouble, not only firing his machine gun, but using his pistol.
In 1943, John Basilone returned to the United States and participated in war bond tours.
John Basilone's arrival was highly publicized, and his hometown held a parade in his honor when he returned.
John Basilone was offered a commission, which he turned down, and was later offered an assignment as an instructor, but refused this as well.
John Basilone then attacked with grenades and demolitions, single-handedly destroying the entire strong point and its defending garrison.
John Basilone guided the heavy vehicle over the hazardous terrain to safety, despite heavy weapons fire from the Japanese.
John Basilone was killed as he moved along the edge of the airfield.
John Basilone's actions helped Marines penetrate the Japanese defense and get off the landing beach during the critical early stages of the invasion.
John Basilone was posthumously awarded the Marine Corps' second-highest decoration for valor, the Navy Cross, for extraordinary heroism during the battle of Iwo Jima.
John Basilone was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia.
John Basilone gallantly gave his life in the service of his country.