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Learn about the life and service of Lena Mae Riggi, a female Marine who married John Basilone, a World War II hero. She was the sponsor of the USS Basilone destroyer and refused to be buried in Arlington Cemetery.
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Lena Riggi never remarried after her husband's death, a testament to the strong bond they shared and the love she had for him. Lena continued to honor John Basilone after his...
He was killed on February 19, 1945 in an exchange of heavy gunfire on Iwo Jima. Lena was notified of his death on March 7, 1945 -- her 32nd birthday. In 21 Dec 1945 Lena christened a Navy destroyer ship named the USS Basilone in her husband's honor. Lena never remarried.
14 lut 2019 · Her name was Lena Mae Riggi, a sergeant at the time serving as a field cook in the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve. Her fellow female Marines fawned over Basilone and his heroism but she wasn’t...
John Basilone was a US Marine Corps gunnery sergeant who fought in World War II and received the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross. He married Lena Mae Riggi in 1944 and was killed in action on Iwo Jima in 1945.
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.
Great Love Happens Once: The Enduring Story of John and Lena Basilone Some ties run deep, like service to country or commitment to family. For one Marine, those two paths were intertwined.Gunnery...
