Basilone celebrated as Raritan Boro's hero [Famed WWII Marine]

Courier News (Central, NJ) ^ | 9/29/03 | Stefanie Matteson

[Incorrigible]

RARITAN BOROUGH, NJ -- It wasn't that Marine Sgt. John Basilone was the first noncommissioned officer to win the Congressional Medal of Honor. It wasn't that he accomplished this honor as one of 10 children born to Italian immigrant parents.

It was that he went back.

[Incorrigible]

 

 

More on John Basilone

Semper Fi!

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Semper Fi - bump to read later.

[azcap]

Great story. Great hero. Historical note though - Basilone was not the first USMC non-com to win the Medal of Honor. Marine non-coms won the MOH in Haiti, WWI, the Phillipines insurections and other previous engagements.

[caltrop]

There was an pretty well publicized effort to name the Meadowlands Stadium after John Basilone. Instead they named it after Brendan Byrne, a former Democratic Governor of NJ who empitomized the term political hack.

[Wiggins]

Also The China Relief Expedition, also known as The Boxer Rebellion.

http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/mohbox.htm

[gunnyg]

Life Life and Death of "Manila John" Basilone!

[ErnBatavia]

Basilone Road...right to the "back gate" of Camp Pendleton!

I'm fortunate enough to be aquainted with another Platoon Sergeant CMH recipient from Guadalcanal - Mitch Paige....well into his eighties now, but doing pretty well.

[Incorrigible]

Bump!

[Incorrigible]

Evening Bump

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Bump and a great American hero ping...if anyone has a Basilone factoid or story to share, that would be great.

[SAMWolf]

Bump

[in the Arena]

I can't count the number of times I have read the MOH citation for Mitchell Paige. If you talk to him again, tell him he has been an inspiration me since my youth...among many, many others I'm sure...

regards,

Jim

[wolficatZ]

a still from

"To the Shores of Iwo JIma (1945)"

 

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Good to see you guys! Very cool stuff, Linda!

[ErnBatavia]

I can't count the number of times I have read the MOH citation for Mitchell Paige.

You should see his den/study! Pictures, memorabilia and all sorts of stuff...but I didn't see his actual CMH there; must be tucked away someplace.

[VOA]

Fantastic painting of Basilone...with one of John Moses Browning's progeny in a supporting role
(the machine gun).

Looking at that photo, I can't help wondering if Stallone maybe saw this once
and copied the image with his machine-gun and endless belt-feed in the original "Rambo".

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Did you notice the caption on the second to the bottom photo in Linda's #15?