Thank you both for your service and sacrifice. I tried my hardest through the years to get Lena to consent to be buried in Arlington Natioal Cemetary with her Johnny. From what Ive read they gained a lot of prestige. Hi Vera: I am pleased to read your post. Please let me know. and we lost fewer soldiers because of better medical. 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. I just had a question, was she close to his family after he passed? Both Eisenhower and Patton wanted to keep on the heels of the Germans, which supposedely justified using the Remagen Bridge. Consistently daring and aggressive as he fought his way over the battle-torn beach and up the sloping, gun-studded terraces toward Airfield Number 1, he repeatedly exposed himself to the blasting fury of exploding shells and later in the day coolly proceeded to the aid of a friendly tank which had been trapped in an enemy mine field under intense mortar and artillery barrages, skillfully guiding the heavy vehicle over the hazardous terrain to safety, despite the overwhelming volume of hostile fire. Basilone met his future wife, Lena Mae Riggi, who was a Sergeant in the Marine Corps Women's Reserve. I see that your family had a lot of marines and sailors, as are some members of my family. During the fighting on Guadalcanal in October 1942, Basilone's actions would result in him being awarded the Medal of Honor. It doesnt go into as much depth as you have but it does give her closure in the series. To my knowledge, Lena never had long hair and I dont think in those days it was allowed by the WMS. Irene Talbot The Naked Kiss (29-Oct-1964) Black Zoo (15-May-1963) 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. NOTHING would have been too much trouble for me, but I honored her wishes to have her buried in the National Cemetary in Riverside, Ca. She loved him very much. His love for her was her memorial. He is one of the reasons why I joined the Marine Corp! From what I have learned about her from you and others Lena was a very independent woman. I have to just say Thank you to everyone who is in any branch of the military who reads this. Thank you for your insights. 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. It created gut feelings about enemy presence and it wasnt wrong on many occasions. Lena M. Basilone died June 11, 1999, at the age of 86, and was buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California . Let us remember who they were and the ultimate sacrifice made for us all. Truly a wonderful woman of strong beliefs. 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. They had been married for 7.3 months. they have only received veterans status within the last 15-20 years. They served with me steadfastly for almost 34 years ,over 1/2 my lifetime. [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. the Germans set the charges of explosives off but they failed. You were lucky to get to know her, even a little! During her time there she met John Basilone, a Marine and the first United States decorated World War II hero. Doc 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. The saddest days of my life were seeing Lenas normally fighting spirit wane after her surgery. Was never properly entered into her service records. I think you went through a tougher ringer than I did with exception for Iraq. They were married on July 7, 1944 and spent some time together before John returned to the South Pacific. The . I see us tangling with Muslim fundamentalists with our full military weight and soldiers like John and Lean were will help us win it. I love my Vietnam compadres and family. During her time there she met John Basilone, a Marine and the first United States decorated World War II hero. May 26, 2016 4:29 PM PT. Thanks Robin. After I sent any piece of information I could find acknowledging her as Sgt. 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. December 26, 2022 by Robin. Her parents were Italian immigrants. HBO did a wonderful job and I wish to see more great documentarylike shows that can bring history to life. Virginia Grey is now deceased. Wife of John Basilone. Basilone's mother, Theadora Bencivenga, was born in 1889 and grew up in Manville, New Jersey, but her parents, Carlo and Catrina, also came from Benevento. After his request to return to the fleet was approved, Basilone was assigned to "C" Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division. "Lena was notified of Johnny's death on March 7, 1945. It wasnt until The Pacific miniseries came out that we realized Lena lived in Riverside and had we known we could have contacted her. On her 32nd birthday she receive word of Johns death on Iwo Jima.He was one of the many who laid their lives down for not only fellow Marines, but also for US Army airmen in crippled B29s who could not return to the Mariana Island base and would have had to face the perils of the Pacific. 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! I have learned about what my dad and other Marines did through other Marines and Soldiers.who served with him. These drones can remain airborne until a target is identified at which point they set a course for that target and go out in a blaze of glory. The parade made national news in Life magazine and Fox Movietone News. However, in John's case, something got mixed up. 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. They are Medal of Honor RECIPIENTS. Regards, SSg Rick Doc Borenstein ret, US Army Medical Dept. Including the Medal of Honor, he has received many honors, including having base streets, military facilities, and two United States Navy destroyers named for him. I am glad that someone was able to be with Lena. When the heavy .30 . She responded that she had served as a Marine in the early 70s. 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. My father served in the Pacific and took part in the Central Pacific and Palau campaign(Peleliu). She was the wife of John Basilone, one of the famous Marines every Marine Corps recruit learns about at boot camp. We spent many, many hours together and even though her Johnny had been killed many years before she had a way of talking about him that made me feel I knew him personally. I think my Fathers generation were legends. John was a legend as was Lena.Beleive you me Lena is at peace. I have found that the movie industry gets some aspects of Lenas actual life facts wrong. P.S. He was the only enlisted Marine in World War II to receive the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross. I was never one to really say anything religious. I knew Lena briefly because I had to have an urgent medical problem taken care of at the VA and she helped me cut much of the red tape. I am a huge fan of hers and her husband. He then attacked with grenades and demolitions, single-handedly destroying the entire strong point and its defending garrison. When the last of the ammunition ran out shortly before dawn on the second day, Basilone, using his pistol and a machete, held off the Japanese soldiers attacking his position. She had a U.S. Marine Corps sign on the walker, so I asked her if she was a Marine. Here is all of the publicly released testimony by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in one place. This is what Memorial Day or Decoration Day is all about. The Japanese charged the hill relentlessly, with dead Japanese soldiers serving as human bridges so that their remaining comrades could cross over the barbed wire fences near the American perimeter. 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. My daddy was killed in Germany at the battle at the Remagen Bridge in 1945. John Basilone was born to be a United States Marine. I am a child of the Vietnam era and I was shaped by those soldiers who fought in Vietnam and adapted to them. Basilone's Navy Cross citation reads as follows: The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the NAVY CROSS posthumously to. Although she was just. She always appeared and acted much younger than her actual age. On December 8, 1941, she went to go shopping. I could not serve in the USMC which was one of my ambitions, family members were in units I wanted to join, I settled for the Army and do not regret any of my service of 33 1/2.yrs.My dad was in the Pacific with the Marines including the Guam and Peleliu campaigns. The civilian man initially had no pulse, and bystanders told the Marine they assumed he was dead. Just watched the TV series The Pacific here in Cape Town, South Africa, during lockdown. Basilone so deeply loved only makes that respect more profound. 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. "Sgt. Although she was just. When she reached adulthood she left Oregon to attend business school. This may include medical bills, eviction notices, or other relevant documents. I pray for all of them. Lena Basilone, plus every picture I could find of her in her uniform showing her Sgt. I salute her, Ms. Garner: I saw the PACIFIC documentary. The tickets are free but . i am a proud American. What an amazing lady. Its not a contest to receive one. Keep up the good work Women Marines Association! Again, Lena Basilone was in a league of her own and very much ahead of her time. To me as I have said before was a legend of her own in the Marine Corps. I have had 7 combat campaigns to boot too Lena was not not much for publicity and kept a low profile. They were good examples which I followed. John Basilone: An article in Monday's Calendar section about John Basilone, whose death on Iwo Jima was marked on the HBO series "The Pacific," described him as a Congressional Medal of. She helped many veterans at the VA Medical center where she lived. They finally agreed to wife of Sgt.John Basilone. He guided the heavy vehicle over the hazardous terrain to safety, despite heavy weapons fire from the Japanese. I think I am beginning to understand Lena a bit better. Japan lost a key advantage of giving Uncompromising with her conversations. The Marines had a Sullivans which I fell victim too, I wanted to be a Marine. I have been a combat veteran from the Vietnam era to Iraq. I wonder why she only appeared in public the one time on his behalf Did she ever say more about her husband or her marriage? Lets just say Ive become officially obsessed with the story. A colossal critical and commercial failure, it essentially marked the end of Hunter's career as a major Hollywood player. 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. At least 38 dead Japanese were credited to Sergeant Basilone -- many were killed with his Colt .45 at almost arms length. On July 3, 1944, he reenlisted in the Marine Corps. I learned from others like uncles, friends and comrades. I always signed in as herdaughter, to be able to have access to her and her doctors. He was one of only three Marines in that group to survive. In fact if you talk to many who are still alive they will tell you they do not enjoy having that reminder but they respect the award and that is that. Hair nets are an essential thing for mess hall personnel as I have been a Mess hall inspector as part of medic duties. Naval Service.[11]. Lena was the same kind of a Marine too. 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". And I hope that in some small way I brought joy to her life, I know she enriched mine ! In 21 Dec 1945 Lena christened a Navy destroyer ship named the USS Basilone in her husband's honor. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism and died in February 1945 during the invasion of Iwo Jima. They were married on July 7, 1944 and spent some time . 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. I found Lena in both the 1930 and 1940 censusand was very surprised and excited to learn that not only was she an Oregonian, shes was basically for me a local girl! She was raised and lived and worked in places less than an hours drive from where I live now! The Headstone indicated in the photograph, is not The Headstone at Her Grave. On one occasion I drove Lena to Camp Pendleton for a celebration of the Womens Marine Corp. 60th anniversary, (I think it was 60) It was so great seeing how she was honored and revered by the young lady Marines. Was your father on the bridge when that occurred? If the name does not sound familiar, you may recognize her married name: Basilone. Charles "Check" Tatum. 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 have been trying to find you. Basilone is interred in Arlington National Cemetery, in Section 12, Grave 384, grid Y/Z 23.5. Most people are very selfish in life and I find that time and life itself are the most valuable things. The gave us a lot and we appreciated their help in return as they helped us vets adjust. She was buried at a VA National Cemetery in Riverside, California wearing her wedding ring, having turned down being . I then years later caught the Gulf war, Korea, Bosnia and Iraq. I wish i could have known her. 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. In later life she served at the VA ;and everyone she came into contact with. My mother was a lot like Lena. Basilone died before he and his new wife had time to have children. 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. 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. She was every bit a Marine which I would follow anywhere. VERY fascinating story about both Gy Basilone and Sgt Lena. I kind of figured Lenas headsone would not be in the location it was supposed to be. He met his future wife, Lena Mae Riggi, while . My god she was a hero as well as her husband. Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone / USMC (1916-1945): . I had members of my family who served in the USMC and some were on Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima. JOHN BASILONE OBITUARY. You got tired both physically and mentally quickly. God bless Lena and John in as they are together in the World without end. He became a doctor and served his community well. 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. 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. Hi Paul: I was a young kid when Vietnam went down. Their bomber was called Cabin In the sky. The U.S. Navy named a destroyer after him in 1945, which Lena Mae christened. G-d keep us always in palm of your hand and love us always. Though the battle was fierce and the Marines' defensive positions were being barraged, Sgt. 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. Thank you Barbara Garner for your detailed comments about the wonderful Lena, and how you tried to get her to agree to be buried near her husband. She remained active with the Women's Marine Association and died in June 1999 at 86 years of age. It was so my privilege to know Lena as my dear friend! For his heroism there, he was awarded the Navy. She may have never forgiven him for going back into battle. WowI just started reading Im Staying With My Boys, the book about her husband. Hi Barbara! I especially loved the story about Manila John and Sgt Lena! His great personal valor and courageous initiative were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Eternal be his memory . A very young, excited female Marine escorted her to the front of the room to cut the ceremonial cake! The young people in our church adored her even though she was tough with them. On the night of October 25, 1942, the Japanese focused their attack on John Basilone's units. It is something the infantry appreciates or as grunts.Barbara Garner knew her best.My father and a lot of my uncles served in the Pacific as pilots, medics ,and grunts, one was a coxswain on the LCVPs or Higgins boats.. They were only married 7 months when John fell in battle within 2-4 hours of hitting the beach. I wanted t join the USMC in 1st MARDIV but my cousin and uncle were already there and I had to settle for the Army. 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. A scrapbook compiled by the family of US Marine Sgt. Though a miniseries of its own, The Pacific was created as a companion to another popular wartime miniseries by HBO: Band of Brothers, which premiered in 2001 and focused on World War II.The Pacific presents the stories of three U.S. Marine Corps members - Eugene Sledge, Robert Leckie, and John Basilone - and their experiences in the Pacific Theater of Operations during the Pacific War. Later, untold number of Japanese lives would be spared too. She got so excited around Christmas when it was time to get gifts together to take to the wounded war heroes!! She is my hero. The service teachs you to do things bigger than yourself. or what its supposed to be. GySgt John Basilones niece will be staying with me here in DC for the next few days. The Basilone Family and Raritan Learns of John's Death. On October 24, 1942, John Basilone was supporting the war effort in the Lunga Area. It was so sad that they never got to spend their lives together. She helped get us through the system and see that our needs were met at the facility. She had a very strong love for Gy.Sgt John Basilone even though their marriage was short,it was a very strong one. He was the only enlisted Marine to receive both of these decorations in World War II. January. I caught the tail end of it when we had to get our ADA missiles out of there. After Gable's third wife, Carole Lombard, died in 1942 and he returned from military service in 1944, he and Virginia were often seen at restaurants and nightclubs together. The Pacific War was one of the most savage wars ever fought. Sad they didnt have children. Anyway it looks like John and Lena Basilone meet and fall in love during episode 8. If a couple should ever be in Heaven its them. Basilone fought. I worked every day of my EMS career to prevent this. I guess we all have our way to remember those important to us. Lena always had her wallet full of Johnnys pictures. Medal of Honor citation. Ive met only recently the story of John Basilone and now, thanks to your words, even a little of the life of Lena. John Basilone was a United States Marine who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II. Hi, your very lucky to have known Lena Basilone. My father was a medic and water purification specialist. She married only one man my father Dr. Milton K Borenstein MD. As in most documentary/films some of the scenes and portrails of Lena were not quite right. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 October 1942. Please call me and send your number. [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. This is where the television show concludes and unfortunately for curious viewers, the show apparently did not include any follow-up information about John Basilones widow. She was a patriotic American to the core!! In my mind from what I have learned about Peleiu it was a blood affair on both sides. The were either Green Berets or medics, a supply clerk and even grunts. Just before his 18th birthday, Basilone enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the Philippines as an infantryman from 1934 to 1937. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. I read the book Im staying with my boys. Basilone grew up in the nearby Raritan Town (now Borough of Raritan) where he attended St. Bernard Parochial School. Again it was my privilege to be with Lena during the sad days of her battles with congestive heart failure, the many calls for paramedics, the many trips to the ER. Grave 384, grid Y/Z 23.5. Lena Basilone returns her late husband's Medal of Honor to his family.From HBO's "The Pacific", episode 10 of 10. Basilone's wife, Lena Mae, never remarried. Lena helped many of us including me to get help from the VA.While I had briefly known her. John Basilone is a Marine Corps legend. But he was very persistent !! 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. I will also remember Audie L. Murphys wife Terrry along with Lena who helped us wounded vets navigate through the VA system and get the help we needed. My Uncle Dick fought and flag razed on Mount Suribaci. To Ssg Rick doc Borenstein almost every comment by you has included you and your family participation in various wars. I am not nor have ever been a member of the American Armed forces. RegardsDoc P.S. She always did things that were bigger than herself. A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. She made an effort to reconcile with them after the war when she visited and presented to the family Johns Medal of Honor. As he moved along the edge of the airfield, he was killed by Japanese mortar shrapnel (based on his research for the book and miniseries The Pacific, author Hugh Ambrose suggested that Basilone was killed by a burst of small arms fire which hit him in the right groin and neck and nearly took off his left arm). I can also say to you that those who do - seem to need some sort of verification for their time in country. I found that the combatants descended into a savage war the like I hope we never see again. She purchased a home in Lakewood, California and lived there for over 50 years until her death. Basilone was born in his Italian American parents' home on November 4, 1916, in Buffalo, New York. I agree with you, for theres more to the story then meets the eye. He spoke very little about it. Hi Sabrina, did you ever write about Sgt Lena Basilone? They were dumb animals who wanted . The Marines sent him to Guantnamo Bay for his next assignment and then to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands as a member of "D" Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division.[8]. On February 19, 1945, the first day of the invasion of Iwo Jima, he was serving as a machine gun section leader on Red Beach II. Lena Basilone, wife of Sgt. 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. strips, they finally agreed to put Sgt.on her grave marker. Another USS John Basilone is scheduled for commission in 2019. The war was shortend by what they did. He was killed on February 19, 1945 in an exchange of heavy gunfire on Iwo Jima. God Bless, her and her husband!!!! The U.S. Navy named a destroyer after him in 1945, which Lena Mae christened. BASILONE, at great risk of his life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way through hostile lines with urgently needed shells for his gunners, thereby contributing in large measure to the virtual annihilation of a Japanese regiment. Regardless of Service Branch, we all, will forever belong to a Band of Brothers and Sisters that only we can understand. Thank you, to the Sergeants Basilone for their service, and may God have united you again in heaven. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on June 3, 1940, after serving three years in the United States Army with duty in the Philippines. I also had the chance to tell her about Sgt. Regardless of whether Basilone's ability was real or imagined, what matters is that he believed it, making his request for orders to the fleet and his actions on Iwo Jima all the more astounding. I just watched HBO's The Pacific episode 7, it was great, tons of action. It was my joy and privilege to be able to stay with her often in her home, to drive her for outings, groceries, shopping, doctor appointments or out to lunch or supper. I would have giving anything to have met MRS Lena Basilone. We did our jobs and what were asked to do. He was sent home to sell. They both left with honorable discharges and they were both Sargents. In 1943, Basilone returned to the United States and participated in war bond tours. Lena Basilone was a very independent and rugged individual, who epitomized what the USMC is all about. DocBorenstein Lena loved her volunteer work at the VA Hospital in Long Beach. Im such a fan my brother bought me a John Basilone t shirt. Its great to learn more about the people behind the name. Each time his visions came to pass - including the last - foretelling his death. As I have commented she was a LEGEND as was John. Basilone moved an extra gun into position and maintained continual fire against the incoming Japanese forces. She must have been a great marine. However, in my research: Ive discovered several factual errors in the miniseries re: the episodes showing the courtship of John and Lena. United States Government. 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 . He was in a good emplacement, and causing the Japanese lots of trouble, not only firing his machine gun, but also using his pistol."[8]. She worked for the electric company and volunteered countless hours of her time at the Womens Marine Association, the American Veterans Auxiliary, and the Long Beach Veterans Hospital. The price of freedom is not cheap. I have learned that Lena was a strong willed woman which made her what she was. Thank God she had someone. I did start watching The Pacific after reading a few of these comments, and I have to say that it is a very emotional rollercoaster of a miniseries.

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