John Basilone

About

Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant who earned the Medal of Honor for his bravery at Guadalcanal.

Before Fame

He defended Henderson Field in Guadalcanal, where his 15-man unit held off an enemy attack of nearly 3,000 Japanese soldiers for two days.

Trivia

He was killed in action during the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Family Life

He met his future wife, Lena Mae Riggi, while she was serving as a Marine Corps Women's Reserve officer at Camp Pendleton.

Associated With

He was portrayed by actor Jon Seda in the HBO mini-series The Pacific.