The television show featured her as a significant character in the final episode: The Pacific Part 8: Iwo Jima: 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. My Next DIY project Forever home makeover original sound - Lena Basilone. Edit a memorial you manage or suggest changes to the memorial manager. Lena was born in 1913. Oops, we were unable to send the email. Following basic training, Basilone served at Camp Pendleton, California, where she worked as a field cook and met fellow Marine John Basilone. She learned of his death less than a month later on her 32nd birthday and traveled to her husbands hometown of Raritan, New Jersey, to present his parents with his Medal of Honor. In the mini series, he is portrayed as being shot through the chest and left arm and dying in pain. A locked padlock During her time there she met John Basilone, a Marine and the first United States decorated World War II hero. Her parents were Italian immigrants. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Get more resources at VeteransCrisisLine.net. EVELYN BASILONE (nee Vlah), age 92, passed away March 19, 2013. Sergeant, USMC (WR) (Widow of GySgt. It is stories like John and Lenas that teach us about the foundations of trust, commitment, and sacrifice on which military relationships are built and remind us to cherish the time we have with the ones we love. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. They went on and on about what a hero I was, how brave I was and that I knew all the movie stars.' Although the romance was a whirlwind and the conditions were not ideal, the two seemed destined for a life together. When WWII broke out, she found herself enlisted in the Marine Corps, stationed at Camp Pendleton. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. Arlington National Cemetery Website (2006326). Lena Basilone honorably discharged from the Marine Corps as a sergeant. Mr. Galloway was a. He was the sixth of ten children. After John Basilone arrived at Camp Pendleton, where he trained Marines for upcoming Pacific battles, he met Lena Riggi. You are correct SGTKITE, John Basilone's tombstone is correct it reads Gy Sgt. John shipped out one month after their wedding. Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Her fellow female Marines fawned over Basilone and his heroism but she wasnt impressed. Henoch Kornfeld-His only crime he was a Jewish child. ). TikTok video from Lena Basilone (@lenabasilone): "Hard to believe that these are the same cabinets! John Basilone and Sponsor of USS Basilone, 1945) 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. During Womens History Month, todays #VeteranOfTheDay is Marine Corps Veteran Lena Basilone, who served during World War II. Her name was Lena Mae Riggi, a sergeant at the time serving as a field cook in the Marine Corps Womens Reserve. He worked as an appraiser for Aetna, Crawford & Company and Southern Auto . Just read his biography , thought it was an auto biography, turned a page and it says he died. John Basilone pictured with their wedding party on July 7, 1944 at St. Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Church in Oceanside, Calif. Camp Pendleton Women Marines . He'd traveled around the country with movie stars (like Virginia Grey). 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. His name was John Basilone. Like her husband, she exemplified Semper Fidelis. Please reset your password. In it, Basilone meets and marries Sgt. Basilone was born in his parents' home on November 4, 1916, in Buffalo, New York. 401 Edgewater Place Suite 600, Wakefield, MA 01880. This relationship is not possible based on lifespan dates. She never remarried. On Dec. 21, 1945, Basilone attended the christening ceremony of the Navy destroyer USS Basilone, named in her husbands honor. John Basilone (Medal of Honor recipient) married Lena Mae Riggi (a Marine sergeant) on the 10th of July, 1944. BLOG. With his unit pinned down, Basilone made his way around the side of the Japanese positions until he was directly on top of the blockhouse. South Plainfield - Nina "Antonina" Basilone (DiPasquale) passed away unexpectedly but peacefully on December 12, 2017 surrounded by her loving family. "She held up pretty well while we talked. Urging his men to keep moving forward (lest they die), Basilone displayed the same type of heroic behavior which earned him the Medal of Honor at Guadalcanal. 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. 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. WASNT HE AN E7 GUNNERY SARGENT NOT AN E5 SGT. Resend Activation Email. WORLD WAR II, EIGHTIES, MUSIC, HISTORY, HOLOCAUST. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the All Hands . Just a fun loving guy Lena stayed active by working at an electrical company, volunteering at the Long Beach Veterans Hospital, the American Veterans Auxiliary and the Womens Marine Association. Her parents were Italian immigrants. After John's death, Lena never remarried. Lena and Basilone knew that their time would be short, so they married the next day. Basilone's parents met at a church gathering and married three years later. Sergeant Lena Mae Basilone, USMC(WR), ship's sponsor, prepares to christen the destroyer, at the Consolidated Steel Company Shipyard, Orange, Texas, on 21 December 1945. Rudolph D Basilone Jr., 64, died peacefully at home on December 6th surrounded by his loving family. God Bless and Semper Fi. More Pictures Of Chesty Puller -- Bad Ass Marine, HBO's The Pacific -- Actors and The Real Guys. 213 Likes, TikTok video from Lena Basilone (@lenabasilone): "The next DIY project in my forever home kitchen remodel. Lena was notified of Johnnys death on March 7, 1945. Basilone commanded two sections of machine guns that fought for the next two days until only Basilone and two other Marines were left standing. 201055 ^ "Presidential Unit Citation on . The date was February 19, 1945. After a whirlwind romance, Lena and John married in July 1944 at Camp Pendleton. Very sad, but it makes a person understand what their generation went through. Although she was just 32 years old at the time of his passing, Lena never remarried, which was a testament to the unwavering bond she and John shared. They were married on July 7, 1944 and spent some time together before John returned to the South Pacific. The ship was named for Sgt. 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 . Sgt. (The plot is located at section 50, site 5557). Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. 709 likes. She was laid to rest in the National Cemetery at Riverside, California. Learn more about merges. Edit your search or learn more, Year start date must be less than year end date, Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, United States of America, Lakewood, Los Angeles County, California, United States of America, 7 Mar 1913 Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, United States of America, 11 Jun 1999 Lakewood, Los Angeles County, California, United States of America, U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current, U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Willamette Valley, Oregon, U.S., Death Records, 1838-2006, U.S., Department of Veterans Affairs BIRLS Death File, 1850-2010, U.S., Cemetery and Funeral Home Collection, 1847-Current, New Jersey, U.S., Death Index, 1848-1878, 1901-2017, Philippines, Select Deaths and Burials, 1726-1957, Ohio, U.S., Death Records, 1908-1932, 1938-2018, Do not sell or share my personal information. All photos uploaded successfully, click on the Done button to see the photos in the gallery. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Just weeks after meeting, with Basilones inevitable return to the Pacific looming, the couple decided to get married on July 10, 1944 at St. Marys Star of the Sea Church in Oceanside, California. Possible relatives for Lena Basilone include Lawrence Taylor, Joshua Rawley and Tanisha Taylor. 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. He then repaired and manned another machine gun, holding the defensive line until replacements arrived. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . I wanted to be able to say I love you a few times and mean it. John and Lena seemingly fell in love overnight. This account already exists, but the email address still needs to be confirmed. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. Page 731-Exchange ideas and thoughts with your Band of Brothers. The grave of Lena Basilone. Visit ourblog post about nominatingto learn how to create the best submission. They met at Camp Pendleton. Obituary: Services Wednesday for longtime Lakewood resident. based on information from your browser. During Women's History Month, today's Veteran Of The Day is Marine Corps Veteran Lena Basilone, who served during World War II. In 2010, HBO produced a mini-series titled The Pacific, which portrayed the experiences of John and two of his comrades during World War II. She saw him as yet another patronizing Marine returning from war. (Brady, Hero of the Pacific, pages 164-5.). Add to your scrapbook. . John Basilone, USMC. ____________________________ John Basilone Biography ______________________________. 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. This stretch (of highway) is to honor John and Lena. Although the federal government offered to bury Lena in Arlington National Cemetery near her husband, she refused because she didnt want to cause trouble for everyone. Services are set for 2 p.m. Wednesday at Hunter Perez Mortuary, 5443 Long Beach Blvd. When the last of it ran out shortly before dawn on the second day, Basilone, using his pistol and a machete, held off the Japanese soldiers attacking his position. 2. There are no volunteers for this cemetery. 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. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. John Basilone in the Philippines during his enlistment in the Army. Click on any item below to call or chat now. 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. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. Obituary: Services Wednesday for longtime Lakewood resident. If you are a Veteran in crisis THERES A DIFFERENCE I HOPE HIS TOMBSTONE ISNT THE SAME. 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. Lena turned down the offer, reportedly saying that she didnt want to cause trouble for everyone.. Try again. To use this feature, use a newer browser. He was killed on February 19, 1945 in an exchange of heavy gunfire on Iwo Jima. Click on any item below to call or chat now, Paris Davis, Black Green Beret in Vietnam, Finally Awarded Medal of Honor at White House, Disabled Vets Post Stunning Job Gains as Economy Remains Hot Despite Inflation, Hawaii Congressional Delegation Asks IRS to Exempt Red Hill Families, The Pentagon Is Behind on Issuing Policy to Allow Cadets Who Have Kids to Remain at Service Academies, Call TTY if you have hearing loss 1-800-799-4889. Official websites use .gov Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Lena . : John Basilone 1916 114 - 1945 219. She was a volunteer for several Veterans organizations such as the Long Beach Veterans Hospital, American Veterans Auxiliary and Women Marines Association. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. Copyright 2018 @ USS Basilone DDE/DD 824 Design & Developed by Buy Wordpress Templates, (November 4, 1916 February 19, 1945) was a. The (newer generation of) Marines dont know who he was, said Frank Turiace, former U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant and decorated Korean War veteran, wanted to change that, With the help of state Sen. Bill Murrow, Turiace set out on a mission to make sure that John is never forgotten. He (Murrow) was very instrumental in putting this through he has the connections, said Turiace. JOHN BASILONE OBITUARY. She soon dedicated a destroyer called the USS Basilone to the Navy. She was tough. He was deployed to Guantnamo Bay, Cuba, and in August 1942, he took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal. She was the girl for me. Sister of James Riggi; Peter Riggi; Francis / Frank Riggi; Samuel Riggi and Paul Riggi. RIVIERES JOURNEY TO AND IN THE MARINE CORPS. Basilone is interred in Arlington National Cemetery, in Section 12, Grave 384, grid Y/Z 23.5. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Answer (1 of 9): I know of one civilian who received a military award for bravery. A system error has occurred. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. After his request to return to the fleet was approved, Basilone was assigned to "C" Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division.