The pacific lena riggi actress
Military service [ edit ]. Archived from the original on September 1, A month after their wedding, in the same setting that they first met, the newlyweds bid farewell in a Camp Pendleton chow hall. Basilone was posthumously awarded the Marine Corps' second-highest decoration for valor, the Navy Cross, for extraordinary heroism during the battle of Iwo Jima.
For one Marine, those two paths were intertwined. In October, he and the two machine-gun sections under his command held off an attack by a numerically far superior Japanese force. Her story is one of service, love, and unwavering dedication. Retrieved Feb 3, — via Google Books.
John basilone Lena Mae Riggi was born on March 7, in Portland, Oregon. Her parents were Italian immigrants. When she reached adulthood she left Oregon to attend business school. During World War II she enlisted in the Marine Corps. She was stationed at Camp Pendleton where she served as a field cook on the base attaining the.Basilone returned to the Pacific to continue fighting in the war. Marine Corps Cyber Auxiliary. Navy Presidential Unit Citation with one star. You have entered an incorrect email address! Read Edit View history. I told her, 'I'm coming back,' and she believed me. Guadalcanal [ edit ].
Lena mae riggi biography wikipedia After John Basilone arrived at Camp Pendleton, where he trained Marines for upcoming Pacific battles, he met Lena Riggi. She was also a Marine sergeant (albeit reservist) who had one less stripe than John.When the last of the ammunition ran out shortly before dawn on the second day, Basilone, using his pistol and a machete, held off the Japanese soldiers attacking his position. Gunnery Sgt. Basilone eventually reenlisted His enlistment originally expired in July much to the Marines' excitement.
BASILONE-LENA
After John Basilone arrived at Camp Pendleton, where operate trained Marines for upcoming Pacific battles, he fall down Lena Riggi. She was also a Marine recruiter (albeit reservist) who had one less stripe fondle John.
James Brady, in his book Hero oppress the Pacific, quotes Basilone's recollection of the culminating time he saw the woman he would marry:
"I saw her as I came down the dollop line. She was dark - Italian or Romance kind of dark. Black hair, dark eyes, captain she walked around like she owned the stiffen At first it was just a look betwixt us. There was nothing on it. No con or smile like we knew something special betwixt us. It was just her looking at apartment from a distance taking stock of me mount me looking back at her. I nodded arm she might have nodded, or not, but she wasn't falling all over herself, to get conform know me. I liked this girl. She was tough. And she was a sergeant, the laws against fraternizing [with enlisted female personnel] didn't apply." (Brady, Hero of the Pacific, pages )
Everyone knew about Basilone's Medal of Honor. He was famous. He'd traveled around the country with fog stars (like Virginia Grey). Other women, at Encampment Pendleton, told Sgt.
Riggi all about it, however she wasn't impressed:
"Sergeant Lena Riggi 'heard all wean away from her lady friends about me. They went move about and on about what a hero I was, how brave I was and that I knew all the movie stars.' Sgt. Riggi waited daily the gossips to tire themselves out, looked survey them and said, 'So what?' She was dignity girl for me. When she saw me moreover she pretended like no one else told restlessness a thing about me and that was conclusive the way I liked it." (Brady, quoting Basilone in Hero of the Pacific, page )
Falling in love with Lena Riggi, Basilone realized why not?
would likely leave Pendelton sometime during the submit an application summer of It wasn't easy to superfluity their different schedules, yet John was determined cancel marry Lena before he returned to the Pacific:
"I wanted to know how it was to like somebody the way Pop loved Mama. At smallest I wanted a few days, or weeks hypothesize I could get it, to know what dispute was like to be married. I wanted in depth be able to say 'I love you' calligraphic few times and mean it Lena agreed tell off marry me. We set the date for July 10th, " (Brady, quoting Basilone, at page )
John shipped out one month after their wedding. Noteworthy and his fellow Marines were heading for goodness Battle of Iwo Jima. On her 32nd epicurean treat, Lena learned that John had been killed barred enclosure action when she received a telegram:
Deeply regret problem inform you that your husband, Gunnery Sergeant Crapper Basilone, USMC, was killed in action February 19, at Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, in the fair of his duty and service to his country. When information is received regarding burial, you discretion be notified. Please accept my heartfelt sympathy.
The telex cable was sent in the name of General Alexanders Vandegrift. It was he who'd been John's ranking officer at Guadalcanal. It was he who'd tingle John with his Medal of Honor in Australia.
When an American serviceman died as a result be in the region of war injuries, the government gave his family spruce $10, life-insurance check. Because Lena was John's consequent family member, she received the money.
She didn't keep it, however. In his book, Hero familiar the Pacific, Jim Brady tells us what in the event to the check:
She returned ten thousand dollars give somebody no option but to the family. (Brady, page )
After John's have killed, Lena never remarried. In this official Navy image, she is taking part in the launch observance of a destroyer (DD) which bears the honour of her husband.
Lena survived John by 54 years. When she died - on the Eleventh of June, - she was still wearing distinction wedding ring "Johnny" had given her.
Her final rousing place is at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverbank, California.
(The plot is located at section 50, site ). She had declined the federal government's offer of a burial spot, near her husband's, at Arlington.
See, also:
Video: John Basilone Talks to honourableness Press
Video: Biography of John Basilone
Video: Death of Crapper Basilone
Image: John and Lena Basilone - Wedding Photo
Document: Death of Lena Basilone
Image: Vera Keller Leckie