The Pacific (85 page)

Making the most of her trip, Lena met a friend and they went south to Washington and visited John's grave in Arlington National Cemetery. After lunch, she and her friend Lauretta hailed a cab. Taking a chance, Lauretta asked the cabdriver "if he knew of an American Legion Post in Arlington named after John Basilone?"
⁴²
The cabbie smiled knowingly. "Yes," he said, "there was such a post."

"We've been trying to find it," said Lauretta, "but it isn't in the phone book and we haven't been able to trace it."

" That's easy," the cabbie said and laughed. "I'm a member of it myself."

"Well," said Lauretta,"this is Mrs. Basilone." The words snapped his head around. Vance introduced himself to the two ladies and then set about creating a warm welcome. That night, the John Basilone American Legion Post put together a reception for Lena at their temporary headquarters in Arlington's Jefferson Firehouse. She met marines who had fought at Iwo Jima and elsewhere. Of all the friends they had lost, of all the brave marines they had known, they had dedicated their post to him. They also had contributed money to pay for the statue of him in Raritan, a picture of which hung on the wall. She was their guest of honor. Lena, who "had come in search of a memory," had found it. It was the last time Lena traveled east.

In the years that followed, John's legacy continued to touch her, as it did the Basilone family.
⁴³
It became clear to one and all that America would never forget Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone. Memorials to him have been created every few years. For his family and to his widow, these tributes were just and fitting. In John's case, though, while the legacy endured, the legend grew.

In late 1962 John's sister Phyllis Basilone Cutter published a multi-installment history of his life in the local newspaper, the Somerset
Messenger-Gazette
. Her heart was in the right place. The Cold War had prompted her to remind Americans "that no matter . . . how desperate our situation is, somehow, somewhere, in this great melting pot, there arises a great American to give life and hope to a tired and weary people, and to inspire and lead them from the bitter depths of despair to the heights of victory by his shining example of raw courage and dedicated devotion to his country."

Based upon her memory, her talks with some of his friends, and a loose interpretation of the newspaper articles in her family's scrapbook, Phyllis created a bigger and better John Basilone. Her brother had been the U.S. Army's undefeated boxing champion in Manila. He had run around Guadalcanal for two days barefoot, singlehandedly winning the battle. He had been such a star on the bond tour that the Marine Corps had wanted to keep him on it indefinitely. John had had to fight to get off it. He had returned to a combat unit knowing full well that he was going to die in combat, but went anyway. For the most part, Phyllis's brothers and sisters agreed with this portrait of him.
⁴⁴
Written about a man who once joked about being "a bull thrower," her article opened the floodgates.

Every few years since Phyllis Cutter's series of articles in the Somerset
Messenger-Gazette
, a writer of military history had found John's story as told by Phyllis Cutter. The articles bear such titles as " The Perfect Marine Who Begged to Die" and "Medal of Honor Winner Rejected a Hero's Life for a Hero's Death."
⁴⁵
The legend of Manila John Basilone has grown beyond all proportions. A newer and as yet unproven claim holds that General Douglas MacArthur called John Basilone "a one man army."

In 1981, the students of the Raritan-Bridgewater Elementary School Band wrote a letter to the borough council, asking why there was no longer a parade in honor of John Basilone. The members of the council thought the parade was a good idea and formed a parade committee.
⁴⁶
The first parade, somewhat modest, formed up at the railroad tracks, took a little jog around La Grange Street, marched all the way down Somerset, and ended at the statue of Manila John. The members of the Raritan-Bridgewater Elementary School Band proudly marched. The John Basilone Memorial Parade has grown ever since.

By the time the parade became an annual tradition, Lena Basilone had stopped attending public memorials to her husband. She also refused to speak with most of the authors who wrote about him. She made her career as a secretary. After she retired, she remained active in her church in Lakewood, California, and with a veterans' support group. She never remarried. When, late in life, Lena was asked why she had remained a widow, she said, "Once I had the best, I couldn't settle for second best."
⁴⁷
Lena Basilone passed away in June of 1999 and was buried wearing her wedding ring.

ENDNOTES

ACT I

1
The story of Brig. Gen. Austin C. Shofner relies upon the following sources: interview with Col. Elmer Davies of the USMC Historical Division, 1978, USMC Oral History Collection; "The WWII Memories of BGen. Austin Shofner, USMC," unpublished MS, January 18, 2000, by Austin C. Shofner, author's copy courtesy of Shofner Family; "The End of the Beginning," unpublished MS by Austin C. Shofner, date unknown, author copy courtesy of Shofner Family; "The Diary of Austin C. Shofner, 1941-1943," unpublished MS, typed transcript by Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville; Colonel Hawkins interview with author, author's collection; the USMC Official Personnel File of Austin C. Shofner, National Records Center, St. Louis, Missouri (hereafter referred to as NRC); Report of Captain A. C. Shofner, USMC, 3 December 1943, Box 7, RG 127, National Archives and Records Administration (hereafter referred to as NARA).

2
"Life in Olongapo,"
Leatherneck
, January 1939, vol. 22, #1, pp. 5, 6.

3
Kenneth W. Condit and Edwin T. Turnbladh,
Hold High the Torch: A History of the 4th Marines
(Washington, D.C.: USMC Historical Division, 1960), p. 190.

4
Tom Bartlett, "Against All Odds,"
Leatherneck
, June 1976, vol. 59, #6, p. 38.

5
Hanson W. Baldwin, " The Fourth Marines at Corregidor: Part I,"
Marine Corps Gazette
, November 1946, vol. 30, #11, p. 15.

6
The story of Vernon "Mike" Micheel relies upon the extensive interviews and correspondence between Micheel and the author; the Playtone Collection of interviews with Micheel, supervised by the author; the Official US Navy Personnel File of Vernon Micheel; the Flight Log of Vernon Micheel and other personal papers and orders related to his service; the Deck Log of the USS
Saratoga
, December 7, 1941; the Deck Logs of the USS
Enterprise
of 1942 (inclusive), NARA; the After Action Reports of VS-6, NARA.

7
Deck Log of the USS
Saratoga
, December 7, 1941.

8
The story of Dr. Sidney C. Phillips relies upon the Playtone Collection of interviews with Dr. Phillips, supervised by the author; Dr. Phillips's WWII memoir entitled "You'll Be Sor-ree," unpublished MS, author's copy courtesy of Dr. Phillips and for which the author obtained written permission to quote; the daily diary of John Wesley "Deacon" Tatum, unpublished MS, furnished by the Tatum Family; extensive correspondence and interviews by the author with Dr. Phillips; interviews with a dozen veterans of H/2/1 (Dr. Phillips's company); After Action Reports of the First Marines; Muster Rolls of 2nd Battalion, First Marines, NARA.

9
Richard Greer (D- 1-7) interview with Bruce McKenna, Playtone Collection;"The Life and Death of Manila John,"
Time
, March 19, 1945.

10
Richard Greer interview with author, author's collection; Phyllis Basilone Cutter, "The Basilone Story,"
Somerset Messenger-Gazette
, series beginning November 15, 1962 (hereafter PBC Articles).

11
Ed Sullivan, "Little Old New York," undated column in unidentified newspaper, Raritan Public Library Collection, Raritan, New Jersey (hereafter referred to as RPL); PBC Articles.

12
Keith Sharon, "Shooting Star: The Story of John Basilone," Part 1,
The Orange County Register
online (
www.ocregister.com
), October 2004.

13
PBC Articles.

14
Keith Sharon, "Shooting Star: The Story of John Basilone," Part 1,
The Orange County Register
online (
www.ocregister.com
), October 2004.

15
Richard Greer interview with Bruce McKenna, Playtone Collection.

16
Official USMC Personnel File of John Basilone, NRC.

17
"Brother: Johnny Went Back to'Those Kids' at War," undated clipping from unidentified newspaper, RPL.

18
Baldwin, " The Fourth Marines at Corregidor: Part I," p. 15.

19
Ibid.

20
Condit and Turnbladh,
Hold High the Torch
, p. 202.

21
William Milhoun, "Awn Up Reep!"
Leatherneck
, April 1946, vol. 29, #4, p. 19.

22
Condit and Turnbladh,
Hold High the Torch
, p. 219.

23
Baldwin, " The Fourth Marines at Corregidor: Part I," p. 52.

24
Ibid.

25
John Costello,
The Pacific War
(New York: Quill, 1982), p. 196.

26
USMC Personnel File, John Basilone, author's collection.

27
"Some Find Glory, Some Find Death, Some Find Trouble,"
Newsweek
, 1945.

28
Clinton Watters (D-1-7) interviews with author; Albert Masco (D [C?]-1-7) interview with author; Richard Greer (D- 1-7) interviews with author.

29
Fitness Reports of John Basilone January-April 1942, Basilone USMC Personnel File, author's collection.

30
USMC Personnel File, James P. Morgan, NRC.

31
Ed Sullivan, "Little Old New York," undated column in unidentified newspaper, RPL.

32
Col. Jon T. Hoffman USMCR,
Chesty: The Story of Lieutenant General Lewis B. Puller
(New York: Random House, 2002), p. 138.

33
Marshall Moore (former CO of C-1-7) letter to Gary Cozzens, author's copy courtesy of Gary Cozzens.

34
Baldwin, " The Fourth Marines at Corregidor: Part I," p. 54.

35
Table of Transportation, Annex A to Embarkation Plan Number 1-42, 1 January 1942, RG 127, NARA.

36
"War Strikes Japan! Planes Raid 4 Industrial Areas,"
Honolulu Star Bulletin
, April 18, 1942, p. 1.

37
Ibid. p. 4.

38
"Japanese Solve Mystery of Raids,"
Honolulu Star Bulletin
, April 20, 1942, p. 1.

39
Commanding Officer Scouting Squadron Six, Report of Action, June 4-6, 1942, dated June 20, 1942, NARA.

40
www.cv6.org
.

41
Clarence E. Dickinson,
The Flying Guns
(New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1942), p. 41. Dickinson was Micheel's division leader.

42
Edwin P. Hoyt,
The Carrier War
(New York: Lancer Books, 1972), p. 37.

43
Condit and Turnbladh,
Hold High the Torch
, p. 232.

44
Baldwin, "The Fourth Marines at Corregidor: Part II,"
Marine Corps Gazette
, December 1946, vol. 30, #12, p. 31.

45
Ibid. p. 28.

46
Baldwin, " The Fourth Marines at Corregidor: Part IV,"
Marine Corps Gazette
, February 1947, p. 40.

47
Report of Capt. A. C. Shofner USMC, 3 December 1943, General Subject File 1940 to 1953, Box 7, 38-2 HQ USMC, RG 127, NARA.

48
Cmdr. Melvyn McCoy USN and Lt. Col. S. M. Mellnik USA, as told to Lt. Welbourn Kelley USNR, "Prisoners of Japan,"
Life
, February 7, 1944, vol. 16, #6, p. 27.

49
Dickinson,
The Flying Guns
, p. vii.

50
Robert J. Casey,
Torpedo Junction: With the Pacific Fleet from Pearl Harbor to Midway
(New York: Bobbs-Merrill Co., 1942), p. 290. This book, by an experienced military journalist, is an excellent source of information about "what did they know and when did they know it."

51
Dickinson,
The Flying Guns
, p. vi.

52
Edward P. Stafford,
The Big E: The Story of the USS Enterprise
(Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 2002), p. 84.

53
Casey,
Torpedo Junction
, p. 337.

54
Dickinson,
The Flying Guns
, p. 135.

55
Casey,
Torpedo Junction
, p. 423.

56
Ibid. p. 340.

57
Unit Report, 3d Marine Brigade, FMF, 10 June 1942, NARA.

58
Basilone Service Record Book, Pay Book entries May-August 1942, John Basilone Official USMC File, NRC.

59
Richard Greer interview with author.

ACT II

1
Casey,
Torpedo Junction
, p. 361. As do many other sources, Casey makes it clear that a lot of people in Hawaii, particularly within the navy, knew in some fashion about the coming battle.

2
Dickinson,
The Flying Guns
, p. 137.

3
Casey,
Torpedo Junction
, p. 374.

4
Commanding Officer USS
Enterprise
, Battle of Midway Island, June 4-6, 1942--Report of, Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet Report, Serial 01849 of 28 June 1942, World War II Action Reports, NARA.

5
Dickinson,
The Flying Guns
, p. 73.

6
In the
Enterprise
's report on the battle, "Air Battle of the Pacific, June 4-6, 1942, report of," by Admiral Spruance, the Japanese Fleet was said to be "maneuvering radically." Neither Micheel nor his division leader, Lt. Clarence Dickinson, recalled it that way.