Marine Corps - 235 Years of Heroic Service

In honor of the Marines 235^th birthday here’s the citation for one of their best. John Basilone is the only Marine to win the Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, and Purple Heart. After winning the Medal of Honor at Guadalcanal he was sent to the states on a bond tour but volunteered to go back with his unit for the battle of Iwo Jima when he could have been assigned to Washington D. C. as an officer. He never returned except as a legend in his beloved Corps.

BASILONE, JOHN 
 
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 4 November 1916, Buffalo, New York. Accredited to: New Jersey. Other Navy award: Navy Cross. 
 
Citation: 
For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Lunga Area. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 October 1942. While the enemy was hammering at the Marines' defensive positions, Sgt. Basilone, in charge of 2 sections of heavy machineguns, fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault. In a fierce frontal attack with the Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sgt. Basilone's sections, with its guncrews, was put out of action, leaving only 2 men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire, repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrived. A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. 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. His great personal valor and courageous initiative were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. 

I will end this tribute with my favorite Teddy Roosevelt quote:

“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly…who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never known neither victory nor defeat.”

Happy Birthday, Marines!