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. But before he left, a romance blossomed between him and Lena. During World War II she enlisted in the Marine Corps. Left to right, Mary, Phyllis Carlo (seated), John in chair, Catherine and Angelo. During Womens History Month, todays Veteran Of The Day is Marine Corps Veteran Lena Basilone, who served during World War II. She was the wife of John Basilone, one of the famous Marines every Marine Corps recruit learns about at boot camp. 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. Peter Riggi, Paul Riggi, Jim Riggi, Frank Riggi, Riverside National Cemetery, 22495 Van Buren Boulevard, Riverside, California 92518, USA, Mar 7 1913 - Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, USA, June 11 1999 - Lakewood, Los Angeles, California, United States of America, James Riggi, <<Private>> Riggi (born Serdena), Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside, California, United States, Mar 7 1913 - Portland, Multnomah, Oregon, United States, June 11 1999 - Lakewood, Los Angeles, California, United States, James Diodata "Jim" Riggi, Virgina Riggi (born Lazzaro), Frank Riggi, Peter " Pete" Riggi, Samuel Riggi, James Riggi, Paul Riggi, James Riggi, Virgina Riggi (born Serdena), Lakewood, Los Angeles, California, United States, Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside, Riverside, California, United States, Riverside, Riverside, California, United States. When World War II started, she left school to join the newly formed Marine Corps Womens Reserve. Please accept Echovita's sincere condolences. Annie Parisse (Creator) - TV Tropes Her parents wanted her to settle down and get married, but instead, she enlisted in the Marines, and she was disowned by her father. Learn more about merges. Lena was notified of his death on March 7, 1945 -- her 32nd birthday. John Basilone (November 4, 1916 February 19, 1945) was a United States Marine Corps gunnery sergeant who was killed in action during World War II. From her Find-A-Grave entry and her obituary: Lena Mae Riggi was born on March 7, 1913 in Portland, Oregon. (Brady, Hero of the Pacific, pages 164-5.). He was the only enlisted Marine to receive both of these decorations in World War II. All Birth, Marriage & Death results for Lena Basilone. John Basilone was both a lover and a fighter. Actress Annie Parisse plays Lena Riggi Basilone in HBO's. ____________________________ John Basilone Biography ______________________________. Her parents wanted her to settle down and get married, but instead, she enlisted in the Marines, and she was disowned by her father. Edit Search New Search Filters (1) To get better results, add more information such as Birth Info, Death Info and Locationeven a guess will help. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? (Brady, quoting Basilone, at page 171.). John Basilone in the Philippines during his enlistment in the Army. Lena survived John by 54 years. lena basilone obituaryaiken county sc register of deeds lena basilone obituary She was the widow of Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant John J. Basilone, in whose honor the ship was named. She was laid to rest in the National Cemetery at Riverside, California. Following basic training, Basilone served at Camp Pendleton, California, where she worked as a field cook and met fellow Marine John Basilone. You are correct SGTKITE, John Basilone's tombstone is correct it reads Gy Sgt. Basilone and his Marines made progress toward their objective an airfield on the island. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Lena never remarried and she lived in California until her death in 1999. 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. He'd traveled around the country with movie stars (like Virginia Grey). Resend Activation Email. An official website of the United States government. Lena was 86 years old when she died on the 11th of June, 1999. While stationed at Camp Pendleton, Basilone met his future wife, Lena Mae Riggi, who was a Sergeant in the Marine Corps Women's Reserve. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Try again later. For the next seven months, they made the best of their time together before Basilone left for Iwo Jima with his regiment. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Lena . I thought you might like to see a memorial for Sgt Lena Mae Riggi Basilone I found on Findagrave.com. John was killed on Iwo Jima February 19, 1945 just seven months after marrying the love of his life and seven months before the allies would declare victory in the Pacific. He worked as an appraiser for Aetna, Crawford & Company and Southern Auto . Sgt Lena Mae (Riggi) Basilone - Leatherneck.com Failed to remove flower. 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. With James Badge Dale, Joseph Mazzello, Jon Seda, Dwight Braswell. Basilone. Todays #VeteranOfTheDay is Marine Veteran Nicholas OBrien, who was killed in action while serving in Afghanistan. Weve updated the security on the site. From stock cabinets to custom looking. John Basilone (November 4, 1916 - February 19, 1945) was a United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant who received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Battle for Henderson Field in the Guadalcanal campaign, and the Navy Cross posthumously for extraordinary heroism during the Battle of Iwo Jima.He was the only enlisted Marine to receive both of these decorations in World War II. In October 1942, during the Battle for Henderson Field, his unit came under attack by a regiment of about 3,000 soldiers from the Japanese Sendai Division. It was during this time that she caught the eye of a decorated Marine, a man who was the United States first WWII war hero. After defending a narrow pass and annihilating an entire enemy regiment on the island of Guadalcanal in 1942, John was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Sgt. Angelo Basilone Obituary - Toms River, NJ - Dignity Memorial During Womens History Month, todays #VeteranOfTheDay is Marine Corps Veteran Lena Basilone, who served during World War II. Oops, something didn't work. In 1943, Basilone returned to the United States and participated in war bond tours. An official website of theU.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Looking for U.S. government information and services? TikTok video from Lena Basilone (@lenabasilone): "Hard to believe that these are the same cabinets! His name was John Basilone. Sgt Lena Mae (Riggi) Basilone | Wwii women, Female marines - Pinterest Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Their wedding took place at St. Mary's Church in. Lena Mae Basilone, USMC(WR), widow of John Basilone, prepares to christen the destroyer USS Basilone (December 21, 1945) In February of 1945, Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone was back in the Pacific with the 5 th Marine Division, part of the invasion force for the invasion of Iwo Jima, known by the military code name Operation Detachment . Visit ourblog post about nominatingto learn how to create the best submission. When she died - on the 11th of June, 1999 - she was still wearing the wedding ring "Johnny" had given her. Basilone was born in his parents' home on November 4, 1916, in Buffalo, New York. When she reached adulthood she left Oregon to attend business school. Sgt Lena Basilone - Part Two - a female Marine Very sad, but it makes a person understand what their generation went through. His record of earning five Navy Crosses for valor has never been matched, nor has his place in Marine Corps history as one of the finest combat officers ever. I am loving The Pacific on HBO, the John and Lena Basilone story is amazing. Basilone moved an extra gun into position and maintained continual fire against the incoming Japanese forces. The heart broken widow bride - History of Sorts . The man was Joe Galloway and I was honored to be present in 1998 when he received a Bronze Star with V device for his actions under fire during the 1965 Battle of Ia Drang - Wikipedia in Vietnam. John Basilone's relationship with Lena Mae Basilone ended when John Basilone died on February 19, 1945. steve watson obituary poplar bluff mo; new york state standard deduction 2022; Sign Up. Other women, at Camp Pendleton, told Sgt. Lena Basilone's Obituary, this has some good info, click image for a larger view. Lena Basilone honorably discharged from the Marine Corps as a sergeant. She purchased a home in Lakewood, California and lived there for over 50 years until her death. After completing middle school at the age of 15, he dropped out prior to attending high school. Edit your search or learn more. Lena warmed up to Basilone eventually, and they later had a date on the beach near Camp Pendleton where Basilone was training the 5th Marine Division. Beloved wife of the late Jim for 63 years, dearest mother of Mary Jane Turner (Bill), Janice Hundt (Jeff), Joan Hamilton (Dan), Michael Gunnery Sgt. Lena Basilone Phone Number, Address, Age, Contact Info, Public Records John Basilone (Medal of Honor recipient) married Lena Mae Riggi (a Marine sergeant) on the 10th of July, 1944. Basilone, ass kickin Marine! 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. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. Lena Basilone on TikTok After a whirlwind romance, Lena and John married in July 1944 at Camp Pendleton. He then repaired and manned another machine gun, holding the defensive line until replacements arrived. He loved his country and he loved the brothers who fought by his side. Why is the Combat Action Ribbon the only decoration that David Goggins #VeteranOfTheDay Marine Corps Veteran Lena Basilone VAntagePoint Contributor 2022-03-28T14:07:18-04:00 March 29th, 2022 | #VeteranOfTheDay Navy Veteran Barbara Allen Rainey Lena and Basilone knew that their time would be short, so they married the next day. If you have questions, please contact [emailprotected]. Some time later, Lena met up with her father again and they reconciled over a cup of coffee. He is often discussed in Marine Corps history classes but no one ever mentions that his wife was a Marine too. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=334448. We found 3 people in 5 states named Lena Basilone living in the US. She didn't keep it, however. God Bless and Semper Fi. Sergeant Lena Mae Riggi Basilone (formerly Lena Mae Riggi) was the love interest, and eventual wife of John Basilone Lena was born in 1913. John R Basilone Obituary (1956 - 2023) | Pemberton, New Jersey (Originally Printed) WEDNESDAY. Although the romance was a whirlwind and the conditions were not ideal, the two seemed destined for a life together. Some time later, Lena met up with her father again and they reconciled over a cup of coffee. On July 3, 1944, he reenlisted in the Marine Corps. Basilone was posthumously awarded the Marine Corps' second-highest decoration for valor, the Navy Cross, for extraordinary heroism during the battle of Iwo Jima. He has received many honors including being the namesake for streets, military locations, and two United States Navy destroyers. Basilone, Mario, 55, of Coral Springs, passed away November 27, 2010. Thanks for your help! Garry Michael Basilone, 67, of Huntsville, Alabama, passed away on April 23rd, 2020 after a two-year battle with cancer. . Great Love Happens Once: The Enduring Story of Marines John and Lena This account has been disabled. His widow, Lena M. Basilone, died June 11, 1999, aged 86, and is buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California. He was the sixth of ten children. List of Obituaries - Paul Ippolito Memorial in Summit, NJ Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. If you want to learn more about John and Lena Basilone, watch the superb miniseries "The Pacific." Some time ago, I met an elderly man. cemeteries found in Riverside, Riverside County, California, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Blue 'Pacific' - New York Post She worked for an electrical company after leaving the military. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Lena Mae Basilone. A locked padlock #VeteranOfTheDay Marine Corps Veteran Lena Basilone - VA News