County of painting: San Diego County
Location of memorial: Hochmuth Ave, James L. Day Hall Museum, MCRD
MCRD: Marine Corps Recruit Depot
Artist: Alvin B. Grant
Plaque Text:
GySgt John Basilone
"Manila John" Awarded the Medal of Honor for outstanding heroism in the Lunga area, Guadalcanal, October 1942. At Iwo Jima, 1945, Basilone again distinguished himself, singlehandedly destroying a Japanese blockhouse while braving heavy caliber enemy fire. For this exploit he posthumously awarded the Navy Cross.
Quotes from GySgt John Basilone
"There was one type of guy who annoyed me on those tours. He's the sort of who button-holes you in a slop chute and asks, 'What's that blue ribbon with the white stars you're wearing, soldier"' (They usually call you soldier and not a Marine, especially in the Middle West.) I answered, 'Why that's for good conduct.' Then this guy, if he is middle-aged, always starts blowing smoke up your trousers about the First World War. If he's fairly young he starts crying on your shoulder about how he tried to get into the Armed Forces but he always get turned down because of housemaids knee or adenoids, or something."
"After about six months of tours and speeches I found myself doing guard duty at Washington D.C., Navy Yard. I felt like a museum piece. It seemed ages ago since I left the South Pacific the previous summer. Washington was a pleasant place. But I wasn't very happy. I wanted to get back to the machine guns. I felt out of things. I've done three years of duty in the Philippines, and it has been my ambition ever since Pearl Harbor to be with the outfit that recaptured Manila. I kept thinking of how awful I would be if some Marines made a landing on Dewey Boulevard on the Manila waterfront and Manila John Basilone wasn't among them."
"I went to see 'The Man' at the Navy Yard. I said: 'Sir, I want the Fleet." The Man must have known what I'd been thinking, for he rushed the cadence on my transfer. Within 10 days I was joining with a regiment in training at Cap Pendleton.
You did't know what a thrill it was to me to walk into one of those battleship gray barracks at Pendleton and see a long line of machine guns parked in the aisle between the bunks. I felt like kissing the heavies on their water jackets."
Gunny Basilone's MOH Citation:
For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the First Battalion, Seventh Marines, First Marine Division, in the Lunga Area, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on October 24 and 25, 1942. While the enemy was hammering at the Marine's defensive positions, Sergeant Basilone, in charge of two sections of heavy machine guns, 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 Sergeant Basilone's sections, with its gun crews, was put out of action, leaving only two 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, Sergeant 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 a 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 United States Naval Service.