She was the widow of Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant John J. Basilone, in whose honor the ship was named. All Death, Burial, Cemetery & Obituaries results for Lena Basilone. At the end of the day, after the cameras stopped flashing and parades came to an end, Basilone was a traditional man. Family members linked to this person will appear here. Wearing the chevrons of a . The date was February 19, 1945. According to the funeral . He later returned to the U.S. to help raise funds for bond drives. At least I wanted a few days, or weeks if I could get it, to know what it was like to be married. Just weeks after meeting, with Basilone's inevitable return to the Pacific looming, the couple decided to get married on July 10, 1944 at St. Mary's Star of the Sea Church in Oceanside, California. I nodded and she might have nodded, or not, but she wasnt falling over herself to get to know me. On her 32nd birthday, Lena learned that John had been killed in action when she received a telegram: Deeply regret to inform you that your husband, Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone, USMC, was killed in action February 19, 1945 at Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, in the performance of his duty and service to his country. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1940, from Baltimore, Maryland. Anderson & Campbell Funeral Home. It is generally accepted in the majority of sources that Basilone was killed instantly by a mortar. The telegram was sent in the name of General Alexander Vandegrift. No wink or smile like we knew something special between us. Just three days after Lenas death a resolution was passed naming a 17 mile stretch of the San Diego (I-5) Freeway near Camp Pendleton Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone Memorial Highway. Learn more about managing a memorial . A system error has occurred. He was the sixth of ten children. She worked for an electrical company after leaving the military. To use this feature, use a newer browser. She portrayed Alexandra Borgia on the drama series Law & Order. Lena christens the USS Basilone after John's death. But the cynicism did not last, and Lena and John married in the summer of 1944: It was he who'd presented John with his Medal of Honor in Australia. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on June 3, 1940, after serving three years in the United States Army with duty in the Philippines. Falling in love with Lena Riggi, Basilone realized he would likely leave Pendelton sometime during the late summer of 1944. Annie Parisse and Jon Seda, as Lena Riggi and John Basilone. 201055 ^ "Ex-Marine Lena Basilone Obituary". But the, Hawaiiscongressional delegation is asking theIRSto back off of families that were affected by the Red Hill water crisismany of them outraged that under current regulations the money they received from the military for temporary housing is considered income and that, The Pentagon has yet to issue a formal policy that would allow cadets at Americas service academies to continue their education if they have kids while enrolled, reversing existing rules that could lead them to get kicked out of school. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. I liked this girl. He wanted, more than anything, to have a wife and a family of his own. He then repaired and manned another machine gun, holding the defensive line until replacements arrived. Wife of GySgt. He was the only enlisted Marine to receive both of these decorations in World War II. He was famous. The medal is the United States top honor for war-time duties. Annie Parisse. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. VAs #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service. Editors: Theresa Lyon and Annabelle Colton. In his book, Hero of the Pacific, Jim Brady tells us what happened to the check: She returned ten thousand dollars to the family. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/334448/lena-mae-basilone. She was 86. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Following basic training, Basilone served at Camp Pendleton, California, where she worked as a field cook and met fellow Marine John Basilone. He received a Medal of Honor for successfully defending Henderson Field against the Japanese in October 1942. She was 86. Include gps location with grave photos where possible. 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. Basilone is interred in Arlington National Cemetery, in Section 12, Grave 384, grid Y/Z 23.5. Iwo Jima: Directed by David Nutter, Jeremy Podeswa. He was killed on February 19, 1945 in an exchange of heavy gunfire on Iwo Jima. James Brady, in his book Hero of the Pacific, quotes Basilone's recollection of the first time he saw the woman he would marry: The Basilone was the last of 27 Gearing Class destroyers and the last warship built in Orange as part of the World War II effort. Basilone grew up in the nearby Raritan Town (now Borough of Raritan) where he attended St. Bernard Parochial School. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. The last destroyer built by the Consolidated Steel Corporation, DD 824, the USS Basilone slid down the way into the Sabine River. Ex-Marine Lena Basilone dies. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. Basilone did not give up, however, and he invited Lena to dinner at a fancy restaurant while training some recruits in the 5th Marine Division. She was also a Marine sergeant (albeit reservist) who had one less stripe than John. John Basilone and Sponsor of USS Basilone, 1945) Basilone was constantly surrounded by swarms of women who clung to his arms and posed for pictures. It's simply . Growing up on her familys farm in Salem, Oregon, Lena Basilone was the daughter of Italian immigrants who instilled in her the values of hard work and self-reliance. Creator. He said he had been a Marine and fought in World War II. Her attitude was I can do anything they (men) can do. . When she reached adulthood she left Oregon to attend business school. He is often discussed in Marine Corps history classes but no one ever mentions that his wife was a Marine too. RUDOLPH BASILONE OBITUARY. This Valentines Day, take a step back to recognize these people and dont forget that time is the most precious gift you could give them, An official website of the United States government, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. Lena arguably has the biggest role of all the women of the series. Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. He was very charming, good-looking, yet tough. Lena Basilone honorably discharged from the Marine Corps as a sergeant. However, John was not complacent hanging around desks and smiling for the cameras and his reaction to the Washington job was: I aint no officer, I aint no museum piece and I belong back with my outfit.. Thanks to a character in the recent television series called The Pacific, the name of a female Marine has made an appearance on the pop culture radar: Lena Mae Riggi. Riggi waited for the gossips to tire themselves out, looked at them and said, 'So what?' Lena was a very determined lady, loved by many.when she saw a need, she would go about filling it, her friend Barbara Garner said in Basilones June 1999 obituary. "Chesty" received his nickname for his barrel chest, but he became a legend in his own time while serving valiantly in Haiti, Nicaragua, the Pacific during WW2, and Korea. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. She was tough, said Basilone in Hero of the Pacific. On Dec. 21, 1945, Basilone attended the christening ceremony of the Navy destroyer USS Basilone, named in her husbands honor. She was the wife of John Basilone, one of the famous Marines every Marine Corps recruit learns about at boot camp. Todays #VeteranOfTheDay is Air Force Veteran Alexis McCray, who provided personnel support during the 2010 drawdown of Operation Iraqi Freedom. She is buried at Riverside National Cemetery in California; her husband John is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. When she saw me again she pretended like no one else told her a thing about me and that was just the way I liked it." The state with the most residents by this name is California, followed by DC and Georgia. I am only sorry that my Mother-in-law, Audrey Riggi, was not mentioned in Aunt Lena's obituary as her . During Women's History Month, today's #VeteranOfTheDay is Marine Corps Veteran Lena Basilone, who served during World War II. As the battle went on, ammunition became critically low. Get more resources at VeteransCrisisLine.net. OBITUARY Angelo Basilone November 20, 1947 - January 27, 2022. Good night, Chesty Puller, wherever you are! Search above to list available cemeteries. chris woods obituary augusta ga; wharton high school football; mad cool festival 2022 camping; dr jean paul giudicelli saba deaths +91 9619661966; nikola tesla femme sales@dragsfinserv.com; famous chef, baldock menu. Todays #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Sam Huff, who was killed by a roadside bomb while serving in Iraq. A private service will follow at Veterans Administration National Cemetery in Riverside. Lena Basilone. The grave of Lena Basilone. After he was released from active duty, Basilone returned home and worked as a truck driver in Reisterstown, Maryland. He received the Medal of Honor for heroism above and beyond the call of duty during the Battle of Guadalcanal and the Navy Cross posthumously for extraordinary heroism during the Battle of Iwo Jima. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Lena never remarried. She was the girl for me. She was tough," said Basilone in 'Hero of the Pacific'. Everyone knew about Basilone's Medal of Honor. He eventually met his wife in the serving line of a chow hall on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. He then attacked with grenades and demolitions, single-handedly destroying the entire strong point and its defending garrison. Based on his research for the book and mini-series The Pacific, author Hugh Ambrose suggested that Basilone was not killed by a mortar, but by small arms fire that hit him in the right groin and the neck, and nearly took off his left arm. Sgt Lena Mae (Riggi) Basilone, 1913-1999, Camp Pendleton field cook during World War II, and wife of WWII hero and Medal of Honor winner Marine Gunnery Sgt. Verify and try again. Subscribe To Obituaries. Military Women. 0 cemeteries found in Riverside, Riverside County, California, USA. Arlington National Cemetery Website (2006326). If you visit Oceanside today, the church remains in the same place it was in 1944 when the couple said their vows. You can always change this later in your Account settings. Lena Basilone's Obituary, this has some good info, click image for a larger view. He was part of Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division. He deployed with the 1st Marine Division in December 1944, and in February 1945, he participated in the invasion of Iwo Jima and died in battle. She spent the remaining 54 years of her life in California where she would continue serving in the Marine Corps and volunteering throughout her community. Basilone and his Marines made progress toward their objective an airfield on the island. cemeteries found in Riverside, Riverside County, California, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list.