Basilone Road - Camp Pendleton, CA
Posted by: 
bluesnote
N 33° 23.840 W 117° 35.455
11S E 445047 N 3695493
A historical marker at San Onofre State Beach in Camp Pendleton, California.
Waymark Code: WM1535V
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 10/06/2021
Views: 0
The plaque says, "From an Italian-American family of ten children in Raritan, New Jersey, Marine Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone (1916-1945) was a celebrated war hero. He received the congressional medal of honor for his efforts in Guadalcanal, where he manned a heavy machine gun for three days and nights without sleep or rest, inflicting heavy casualties and repulsing an attack of nearly 3,000 Japanese soldiers.
Basilone came home a war hero and celebrity, touring the country prompting the sale of War Bonds, built felt out of place and requested to return to the war. Station at Camp Pendleton in 1943, he was eventually allowed to return to combat in December 1944.
Basilone was awared the Navy Cross and Purple Heart following his death on Iwo Jima where serving as a leader of a Machine-Gun Section, he signgle handely took out enemy machine-gun emplacement that had pinned down his unit, then guided an American tank though a mine field under heavy fire, before being killed by Japanese mortar shrapnel.
The Secretary of the Navy citied his "extradorinaiy heroism and unwavering devotion to duty throughout the bitter conflict as an inspiration to his comrades, reflecting the highest credit upon Gunnery Sergeant Basilone and United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life in the service of his country."
The road, which is part of a longer road traversing neighboring Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, is named after Basilone - the only enlisted U.S. Marine to receive the Medal of Honor, Navy Cross and purple heart during WWII."
Group that erected the marker: California State Parks
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
Camp Pendleton, CA, USA
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: Not listed
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