1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:10,640 All across America and around the world, this is Veterans Radio. 2 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:15,920 This is Veterans Radio. 3 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:17,840 Welcome to Veterans Radio. 4 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:20,520 I am Jim Fossone. 5 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:22,840 I'm the officer of the deck today. 6 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:24,720 We've got some great programs for you. 7 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:29,520 We always want to remind you you can find more about Veterans Radio at its Facebook 8 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:35,240 site or at the web veteransradio.org where we're on the web 24-7. 9 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:38,360 You can find a lot of our podcasts there as well. 10 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:45,040 We post new ones every Tuesday so you can get a new story, a new interview, something 11 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:49,640 you didn't know before by going to veteransradio.org. 12 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:53,040 Before we get started, we want to thank our sponsors. 13 00:00:53,040 --> 00:01:00,880 Next up we want to thank National Veteran Business Development Council, NVBDC.org. 14 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:06,560 It was established to certify both service disabled and veteran owned businesses. 15 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:13,080 You'll find out how they can help your business by going to NVBDC.org. 16 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,600 We want to thank Legal Help for Veterans. 17 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:22,120 Legal Help for Veterans fights for veterans disability rights all across the nation. 18 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:33,240 You can reach them at 800-693-4800 or on the web at legalhelpforveterans.com. 19 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:36,040 And finally, PuroClean. 20 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:38,680 PuroClean is the paramedics of property damage. 21 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:44,560 It provides water damage remediation, flood water removal, fire and smoke damage remediation, 22 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:48,000 mold removal, biohazard cleanup. 23 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:52,280 It also has a focus on veteran franchisees. 24 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:57,040 You can learn more about them by going to puroclean.com. 25 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:04,320 We're going to tell you a story about a Marine known as Manila John Baseline out of New Jersey. 26 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:11,560 Spent some time in the Army, really felt strongly about the Philippines. 27 00:02:11,560 --> 00:02:18,280 The heroics that the Marines tell, this is part of their immense history. 28 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:26,520 It's a subject we've written on for HomeofHeroes.org, which is a website that tells the stories 29 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:32,000 of men and women who have received valor awards, including the Medal of Honor. 30 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:33,880 You can find the story there. 31 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:41,600 We've also written on it in a chapter for a book, a series of books called Beyond Belief 32 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:43,880 by Doug Sterner. 33 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:50,440 Once or twice a year, a group of military authors, amateurs, some of them like myself, 34 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:53,280 come together and write on specific topics. 35 00:02:53,280 --> 00:03:02,440 I think you'd find that whole series, which you can find on like amazon.com, look up Beyond 36 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:08,720 Belief and Doug Sterner and you'll find a whole series of his efforts and writers with 37 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:09,720 him. 38 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:10,720 So we wrote it about it there. 39 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:14,680 But I wanted to tell the story audio from that chapter. 40 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:20,120 So this is that story that I think you're going to find interesting in something a little 41 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:21,120 different. 42 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:22,120 All right. 43 00:03:22,120 --> 00:03:26,600 We're diving deep today, folks, into the life of a true American legend, John Baseloni. 44 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:29,720 Yeah, this guy, he's a badass, right? 45 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:31,200 You said it. 46 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:32,560 More than earned that title. 47 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:36,560 Here's more to him than just, you know, being awesome in battle. 48 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:37,560 Way more. 49 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:38,560 I mean, think about this. 50 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:43,000 This is a guy who earned two of the nation's highest military honors, the Medal of Honor 51 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:46,200 and the Navy Cross practically unheard of, right? 52 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:48,120 To get both almost impossible. 53 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:52,360 Plus, get this, his story crosses paths with Douglas Monroe. 54 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:55,520 You know, the only Coast Guardsman to ever receive the Medal of Honor. 55 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:56,920 Crazy how these things connect. 56 00:03:56,920 --> 00:04:01,120 But before we get there, we got to rewind a bit back to the beginning. 57 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:02,120 Back to where it all started. 58 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:05,200 To figure out like what made this guy tick. 59 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:07,200 Picture it the 1930s. 60 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:09,480 Raritum, New Jersey. 61 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:10,480 Small town. 62 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:11,840 Big Italian family. 63 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:15,240 Not a lot of opportunity going around, especially with the depression hitting everyone hard. 64 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:16,600 Yeah, tough times. 65 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:17,600 He drops out of school. 66 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:19,600 Ends up then listing in the Army. 67 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:22,520 Seems almost, I don't know, expected. 68 00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:26,040 Young guy, tough times, looking for some direction. 69 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:27,040 Absolutely. 70 00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:29,440 But you got to remember what was happening back then. 71 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:31,800 The bonus Army incident in DC. 72 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:33,120 Oh, right. 73 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:35,160 Those World War I vets who... 74 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:36,160 Mass Brits for their benefits. 75 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:37,160 I got it. 76 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:38,160 Blashed with the government. 77 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:39,160 Didn't leave a good feeling. 78 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:40,160 No. 79 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:41,960 A lot of veterans felt betrayed. 80 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:45,440 Plus, you got the Nazi Party rising in Europe. 81 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:46,440 Growing threat. 82 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:47,480 Couldn't ignore it. 83 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:48,920 Even if it was far away. 84 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:49,920 Exactly. 85 00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:50,920 Yeah. 86 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:55,120 So even indirectly, those events, they're probably had some influence on young Bass alone. 87 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:56,120 You think? 88 00:04:56,120 --> 00:04:57,440 Oh, I think so. 89 00:04:57,440 --> 00:05:02,240 Stories about serving, about duty, about the world, you know, not being such a safe place. 90 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:04,320 Makes you think how everything connects. 91 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:08,600 Now, his first enlistment, it takes him to the Philippines. 92 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:09,600 World away from Jersey. 93 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:10,600 And he loved it, right? 94 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:11,600 Oh, yeah. 95 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:12,600 Frived there. 96 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:13,960 I mean, compared to the struggles back home. 97 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:16,320 The Philippines must have felt like a different planet. 98 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:17,320 Probably did. 99 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:19,560 But here's what gets me, even after those three years. 100 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:20,880 After seeing a different life. 101 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:22,880 He was drawn back to Manila. 102 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:25,360 He reenlisted and asked to go back. 103 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:26,360 Interesting, isn't it? 104 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:27,720 What do you think that was about? 105 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:28,720 I mean, 106 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:31,200 It's got to be something more than just liking the tropics. 107 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:32,200 Right. 108 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:34,760 Maybe it was the camaraderie, you know. 109 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:36,440 The purpose he found in the military. 110 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:37,440 Oh, maybe. 111 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:38,440 The seeds of heroism. 112 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:39,440 Yeah. 113 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:41,080 Maybe they were already starting to grow. 114 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:42,920 Fueled by what was happening in the world. 115 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:43,920 That's a good point. 116 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:45,800 But whatever it was, he wasn't just drifting. 117 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:46,800 No. 118 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:48,040 He was looking for something. 119 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:49,160 Seeking something out. 120 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:54,320 And that search, it led him to a pretty surprising decision, at least to me. 121 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:55,320 What's that? 122 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:56,320 It was the army. 123 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:57,320 Okay. 124 00:05:57,320 --> 00:05:58,320 But instead of settling down. 125 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:00,320 He joins the Marines, 1940. 126 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:05,960 Now, I don't know if a lot of people realize this, but switching branches like that. 127 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:07,480 It wasn't common. 128 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:08,480 Not at all. 129 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:10,200 It shows you he wanted something more. 130 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:11,360 More challenging. 131 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:12,360 More intense. 132 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:13,880 Especially with, you know. 133 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:14,880 War on the horizon. 134 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:15,880 Exactly. 135 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:18,680 By 1940, things were getting really tense. 136 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,960 Japan's actions in the Pacific, they were escalating. 137 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:23,120 And everyone knew. 138 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:25,040 A clash with the US was coming. 139 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:26,080 Just a matter of time. 140 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:27,480 And when it finally did. 141 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:29,320 It happened on this little island. 142 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:30,720 Called Guadalcanal. 143 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:31,720 Guadalcanal. 144 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:33,280 Man, that name. 145 00:06:33,280 --> 00:06:35,120 Carries a lot of weight. 146 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:36,120 Especially for the Marines. 147 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:38,520 It was their first major land offensive against the Japanese. 148 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:39,680 Brutal fighting. 149 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:42,840 Months long battle for this airfield. 150 00:06:42,840 --> 00:06:45,080 Vital airfield, strategically speaking. 151 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:46,200 And the outcome there. 152 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,200 It set the tone for the whole Pacific War. 153 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:51,760 The Marines, their whole reputation. 154 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:53,080 Everything was on the line. 155 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:54,520 You can't even imagine the pressure. 156 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:58,040 And this is where Baseloni's story runs into Douglas Monroe, right? 157 00:06:58,040 --> 00:06:59,040 That's right. 158 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:00,040 Big fight. 159 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:02,840 Group of Marines pinned down on the beach. 160 00:07:02,840 --> 00:07:03,840 Baselon's one of them. 161 00:07:03,840 --> 00:07:04,840 Bad situation. 162 00:07:04,840 --> 00:07:06,240 Dyer, really. 163 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:09,080 Douglas Monroe, he's a Coast Guard signalman. 164 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:11,520 Volunteers to lead a rescue mission. 165 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:12,520 Using Higgins boats. 166 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:14,320 Those were, what? 167 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:15,320 Landing craft? 168 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:17,440 Yeah, designed for amphibious assaults. 169 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:18,920 Crucial for getting troops ashore. 170 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:20,680 Makes sense, especially in that kind of environment. 171 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:24,880 And Monroe, what he did that day, it was incredible. 172 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:29,880 Drew enemy fire onto his own boats, gave the Marines cover to escape. 173 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:30,880 Baselon included. 174 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:31,880 Wow. 175 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:34,760 Earns in the Medal of Honor, but he's killed in the process. 176 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:38,520 It's amazing to think that if it wasn't for Monroe, yeah. 177 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:40,680 Baselon might not have become the legend we know. 178 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:41,920 Might never have had the chance. 179 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:44,960 But Guadalcanal, it was just the beginning for Baselon. 180 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:46,520 Oh yeah, just the start. 181 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:48,000 His most famous actions. 182 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:49,360 They were still to come. 183 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:52,360 And they took place on a ridge that earned a pretty fitting name. 184 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:54,120 Let me guess. 185 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:55,120 Bloody Ridge. 186 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:56,120 Yikes. 187 00:07:56,120 --> 00:07:57,120 That sounds rough. 188 00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:58,120 It was. 189 00:07:58,120 --> 00:07:59,120 Bloody Ridge. 190 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:00,440 I mean, the name kinda says it all, doesn't it? 191 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:01,440 No kidding. 192 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:02,440 Brutal fight. 193 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:04,280 The Japanese, they wanted that airfield back. 194 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:05,280 Henderson Field. 195 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:06,280 The one we talked about. 196 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:07,680 Vital for them. 197 00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:08,680 And Bloody Ridge. 198 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:10,480 Well, that was the key to their plan. 199 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:11,840 They just kept coming. 200 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:15,680 Wave after wave of attacks right at the Marines dug in on that ridge. 201 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:19,120 And this is where Baselon, he really becomes a legend. 202 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:23,640 You could say that this is his moment in charge of two machine gun sections. 203 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:24,640 Up against what? 204 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:27,360 A whole regiment of Japanese soldiers. 205 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:29,120 3,000 of them. 206 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:30,560 Outnumbered. 207 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:32,360 Facing this crazy onslaught. 208 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:33,360 For how long? 209 00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:34,760 Two days. 210 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:36,320 Non-stop fighting. 211 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:39,680 And Baselon, he's right there in the middle of it all. 212 00:08:39,680 --> 00:08:43,680 Manning guns, fixing them under fire, running through enemy lines to get more ammo for his 213 00:08:43,680 --> 00:08:44,680 guys. 214 00:08:44,680 --> 00:08:47,920 I read somewhere he even used machete at one point. 215 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:50,120 And a pistol. 216 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:51,620 When he ran out of bullets. 217 00:08:51,620 --> 00:08:53,200 Sounds almost superhuman, right? 218 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:54,200 It does. 219 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:55,200 But that was Baseloni. 220 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:58,360 I mean, the guy just wouldn't quit. 221 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:00,520 And his actions, they were crucial. 222 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:02,040 They held that ridge. 223 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:06,760 Think about it, against all odds, they just kept fighting, repelling, attack after attack. 224 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:07,760 Yeah. 225 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:08,760 Bought precious time for reinforcements. 226 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:10,640 So they really turned the tide. 227 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:11,640 Without a doubt. 228 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:13,920 The whole battle could have gone a different way if they hadn't held on. 229 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:15,800 And that's what got him the Medal of Honor. 230 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:16,800 That's it. 231 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:19,560 He grasped that kind of courage, you know? 232 00:09:19,560 --> 00:09:22,920 Facing that kind of danger, knowing every second could be your last. 233 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:23,920 Absolutely. 234 00:09:23,920 --> 00:09:28,320 And then after all that, after receiving the highest honor, getting hailed a hero. 235 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:30,440 Sent back home on this victory tear. 236 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:31,960 Baseloni does something incredible. 237 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:33,360 He asks to go back. 238 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:34,480 To the front lines. 239 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:35,480 Back into the fight. 240 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:37,640 He could have just stayed home, right? 241 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:39,080 Enjoyed the fame, the safety. 242 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:40,080 Why would he go back? 243 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:41,960 Said a lot about the man, doesn't it? 244 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:43,280 He wasn't in it for the glory. 245 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:44,600 It was duty. 246 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:46,760 Loyalty to his fellow Marines. 247 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:48,720 A belief in what he was fighting for. 248 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:52,560 Yeah, he couldn't just sit back while others were risking their lives. 249 00:09:52,560 --> 00:09:53,560 Not Baseloni. 250 00:09:53,560 --> 00:09:57,520 And remember, this is before anyone really understood things like PTSD. 251 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:00,120 We can't imagine what Greilsona did to him mentally. 252 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:02,040 But he still went back. 253 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:04,040 Knowing exactly what he was getting into. 254 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:08,520 We often forget that war heroes, they aren't just symbols of strength, you know? 255 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:11,360 They're real people with real emotions. 256 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,400 Dealing with things most of us can't even comprehend. 257 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:15,400 Exactly. 258 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:19,680 Speaking of the human side of things, Baseloni's story takes an interesting turn while he's 259 00:10:19,680 --> 00:10:20,680 back home. 260 00:10:20,680 --> 00:10:21,680 Oh yeah. 261 00:10:21,680 --> 00:10:23,640 He's training new recruits at Camp Pendleton. 262 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:24,640 Okay. 263 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:26,640 And he meets Lena May Riggie. 264 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:27,640 Who's that? 265 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:30,360 A sergeant in the Marine Corps Women's Reserve. 266 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:35,320 You know, it's kind of hard to imagine finding love in the middle of all that. 267 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:36,320 Preparing for war. 268 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:37,320 Yeah. 269 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:38,320 But they did. 270 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:40,240 Fell in love, got married in 44. 271 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:42,480 Makes his decision to go back even more powerful. 272 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:43,480 Doesn't it? 273 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:45,800 He found happiness a whole new life. 274 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:46,800 And yet. 275 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:47,800 Duty call. 276 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:48,800 It did. 277 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:51,560 And that call led him to Iwo Jima. 278 00:10:51,560 --> 00:10:55,000 One of the most brutal battles of the whole war. 279 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:57,600 Iwo Jima, when I hear that name, I always think of that picture. 280 00:10:57,600 --> 00:10:58,600 A flag raising. 281 00:10:58,600 --> 00:10:59,600 Yeah. 282 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:00,600 Iconic. 283 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:01,600 But man, the fighting there. 284 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:02,600 Awful. 285 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:04,320 One of the costliest battles the Marines have ever faced. 286 00:11:04,320 --> 00:11:05,840 It was strategically important. 287 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:06,840 Rouge. 288 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:13,040 Americans needed it for landing damaged bombers staging the invasion of mainland Japan. 289 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:16,080 But the Japanese, they dug in. 290 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:18,840 Turned the whole island into a fortress. 291 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:19,840 A death trap. 292 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:21,440 Where did Basilon fit in? 293 00:11:21,440 --> 00:11:22,680 First wave. 294 00:11:22,680 --> 00:11:25,080 Leading his men right into that mess. 295 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:26,280 Enemy fire everywhere. 296 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:27,280 Intense. 297 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:28,280 Beyond intense. 298 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:29,680 The Japanese resistance, it was fanatical. 299 00:11:29,680 --> 00:11:31,040 They were fighting to the death. 300 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:33,120 I bet the fighting was even worse than Guadalcanal. 301 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:34,120 Oh yeah. 302 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:35,120 Way worse. 303 00:11:35,120 --> 00:11:38,800 There are stories of Basilon taking out a whole Japanese block house by himself. 304 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:41,120 Used explosives, just pure grit. 305 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:45,560 Another time, he guided a tank through a minefield while they were getting pounded by enemy fire, 306 00:11:45,560 --> 00:11:46,560 saved the whole crew. 307 00:11:46,560 --> 00:11:48,120 It's like something out of a movie. 308 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:49,920 Except it was all too real. 309 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:53,640 And tragically, Basilon's luck, it finally ran out. 310 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:54,640 Oh no. 311 00:11:54,640 --> 00:12:00,200 February 19th, 1945, just days after the invasion started, he's killed by mortar fire. 312 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:01,800 After surviving so much. 313 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:03,880 I know, it's tough to think about. 314 00:12:03,880 --> 00:12:05,640 Fell in the final stages of the war. 315 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:07,080 It's a huge loss. 316 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:09,960 Devastating for his men for the whole nation. 317 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:15,120 But even in death, Basilon's actions on Iwo Jima earned him the Navy Cross. 318 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:16,840 So he got both. 319 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:18,640 The Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross. 320 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:19,640 It's almost unheard of. 321 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:22,160 Shows you the impact he had throughout the war. 322 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:24,360 From Guadalcanal to Iwo Jima. 323 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:25,880 A true leader. 324 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:28,560 Courageous, selfless, inspired everyone around him. 325 00:12:28,560 --> 00:12:29,960 And what about Lena May? 326 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:30,960 What happened to her? 327 00:12:30,960 --> 00:12:31,960 She never remarried. 328 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:33,440 Dedicated her life to his memory. 329 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:34,440 Wow. 330 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:38,560 Kept serving in the Marines, retired as a captain, lived a long life, passed away in 331 00:12:38,560 --> 00:12:40,960 1989, 86 years old. 332 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:41,960 And you know what? 333 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:43,440 She was buried with her wedding ring. 334 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:44,440 That's powerful. 335 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:45,440 It is. 336 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:46,440 The bond they had. 337 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:47,680 The impact he had on her life. 338 00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:50,080 So he talked about his bravery, his dedication. 339 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:51,920 But something that keeps sticking with me. 340 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:53,640 He went back to combat. 341 00:12:53,640 --> 00:12:55,880 Not once, but twice. 342 00:12:55,880 --> 00:12:56,880 Why? 343 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:59,000 What drove him to make that choice? 344 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:01,240 It's the question, isn't it? 345 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:04,400 Historians, anyone who studies Basilonite, they all wonder. 346 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:07,120 It's more than just patriotism, more than just duty. 347 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:08,920 There's something deeper there. 348 00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:10,880 Something about the human spirit itself. 349 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:14,320 It really makes you think, what can we learn from a life like that? 350 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:17,640 This guy, he achieved the highest military honor. 351 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:18,880 Could it just walked away? 352 00:13:18,880 --> 00:13:19,880 But he didn't. 353 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:20,880 Went back to the worst of it. 354 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:22,800 Challenge is how we think about heroes, doesn't it? 355 00:13:22,800 --> 00:13:23,800 It does. 356 00:13:23,800 --> 00:13:25,320 Makes us look deeper. 357 00:13:25,320 --> 00:13:27,160 Beyond the medals and the stories. 358 00:13:27,160 --> 00:13:30,040 What really drives someone to those kinds of actions. 359 00:13:30,040 --> 00:13:31,040 It's not about glory. 360 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:32,040 No. 361 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:33,040 Not about getting recognition. 362 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:34,040 It's something bigger. 363 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:35,040 Way bigger. 364 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:36,560 You know he had that tattoo, death before dishonor? 365 00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:38,200 More than just tough guy saying? 366 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:39,200 Oh yeah. 367 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:40,400 It was how he lived his life. 368 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:42,920 Commitment to what he thought was right, no matter what. 369 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:44,880 You see it all through his actions in the war. 370 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:46,120 He wasn't reckless. 371 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:52,720 He was a good leader, strategic smart, but always ready to put himself out there. 372 00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:54,080 To protect his men. 373 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:55,840 Get the job done. 374 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:56,840 Led by example. 375 00:13:56,840 --> 00:14:01,320 It's funny, you hear stories about soldiers who, after seeing so much, they come back 376 00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:02,320 disillusioned. 377 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:03,320 Yeah. 378 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:04,320 Cynical even. 379 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:05,320 Understandable. 380 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:08,160 You see, he seems different. 381 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:13,880 Held onto his ideals, that sense of duty, even after Guadalcanal, even after Iwo Jima. 382 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:14,960 That's what makes him so interesting. 383 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:18,200 He saw the worst of it, but it didn't break him. 384 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:20,320 Kept believing in what he was fighting for. 385 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:21,320 Amazing strength. 386 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:22,320 Inner strength. 387 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:23,320 Yeah. 388 00:14:23,320 --> 00:14:24,320 Resilience. 389 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:25,320 It's remarkable. 390 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:27,680 So someone's listening to this, someone who might never see combat themselves. 391 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:28,680 Yeah. 392 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:31,760 What's the biggest thing they should take away from Vasilloni's story? 393 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:33,000 I think it's this. 394 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:34,000 Yeah. 395 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:38,200 It doesn't have to be on a battlefield or some big, dramatic thing. 396 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:39,720 It can be in everyday life. 397 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:40,720 Exactly. 398 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:42,200 The choices we make. 399 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:47,600 Standing up for what you believe in, even when it's tough, especially when it's tough. 400 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:49,600 Doing the right thing when nobody's looking. 401 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:52,440 I like that, that courage, that selflessness. 402 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:53,440 We can all do that. 403 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:54,440 Absolutely. 404 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:57,520 Whether it's helping someone who's being picked on or speaking out against something 405 00:14:57,520 --> 00:14:58,520 that's wrong. 406 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:02,120 Vasilloni's legacy, it's not just about remembering what he did. 407 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:03,960 It's about living that way ourselves. 408 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:05,720 Keeping that spirit alive. 409 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:07,000 Powerful message. 410 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:10,200 And we need to hear it now more than ever. 411 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:11,840 John Vasilloni might be gone. 412 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:17,560 But his story, it stays with us, challenges us to be better, braver. 413 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:18,560 Live up to those ideals. 414 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:20,400 You showed us what that means. 415 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:24,080 His life, it really shows you what humans are capable of, the courage. 416 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:25,080 Selflessness. 417 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:26,080 Yeah. 418 00:15:26,080 --> 00:15:29,600 It's a legacy we should all remember, a legacy worth trying to live up to. 419 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:35,800 Hope you enjoyed that interview, that discussion really about John Vasilloni. 420 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:39,040 That was AI generated from a chapter that I wrote. 421 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:44,600 So kind of a new, cool thing that's available to take the written word and turn it into 422 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:48,640 a conversation that you can listen to. 423 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:52,440 Maybe while you're in the car, maybe when you're out doing your walk or your run. 424 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:57,080 So something we're trying here on Veterans Radio to convert some of the stories that 425 00:15:57,080 --> 00:16:03,120 we have in the written word from Home of Heroes or Beyond Belief books into something we can 426 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:07,200 get out to you, our loyal veteran radio listeners. 427 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:12,320 So hope you enjoyed that and probably more to come. 428 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,240 And I want to thank everybody for listening to Veterans Radio today. 429 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:16,720 I am Jim Fossone. 430 00:16:16,720 --> 00:16:19,080 It's been a pleasure to be your host. 431 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:23,000 I'm a Veterans Disability Lawyer at Legal Help for Veterans. 432 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:31,440 And you can reach us at 800-693-4800 or legalhelpforveterans.com on the web. 433 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:36,320 You can follow Veterans Radio on Facebook and listen to its podcasts and internet radio 434 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:40,960 shows by visiting us at veteransradio.org. 435 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:43,680 That's veteransradio.org. 436 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:46,840 And until next time, you are dismissed. 437 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:51,320 If you have a VA claim denied by the Board of Veterans Appeals, contact Legal Help for 438 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:55,560 Veterans at 1-800-693-4800. 439 00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:59,560 They're experts in handling cases before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. 440 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:03,520 Their number again, 1-800-693-4800. 441 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:09,120 We again want to thank our national sponsors, the National Veterans Business Development 442 00:17:09,120 --> 00:17:18,040 Council, NVBDC.org, VA Ann Arbor Health Care System, the Vietnam Veterans of America, 443 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:27,080 Charles S. Kettles Chapter, Ann Arbor, Michigan, VFW Graf O'Hara Post 423 in Ann Arbor, and 444 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:33,040 the American Legion Press Corn Post 46 also in Ann Arbor. 445 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:34,480 We appreciate all your support. 446 00:17:34,480 --> 00:17:41,560 You can go to veteransradio.net, click on the sponsor level, and continue to support 447 00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:44,520 keeping Veterans Radio on the air. 448 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:48,040 And until next time, you are dismissed.