Bill Pascrell: “Sergeant Basilone was the first enlisted marine to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor in the war. In 1943, the…”

“Sergeant Basilone was the first enlisted marine to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor in the war. In 1943, the Sunday News captured his picture with his award, the first that he would receive and the first of anyone in that war. I have had it in my office for the years that I have been on this particular issue, Mr. Speaker. It is a great honor to salute Sergeant Basilone's family, a native of New Jersey, and a hero of our Italian-American community. He started serving his country, as you already heard, very early in the U.S. Army; and then 3 years later, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he was sent to a position on the Tenaru River in Guadalcanal and placed in command of two sections of heavy machine guns. Despite being outnumbered, Sergeant Basilone and his men successfully defended Henderson airfield from the Japanese assault. In the process, he crossed enemy lines to replenish ammunition, he repaired artillery, and he went several days and nights without food or sleep to lead his troops. He led his troops to victory. Sergeant Basilone's unprecedented heroics in the Pacific theater during World War II have become part of the Marine Corps lore, and for his brave service, we worked together a few years back to immortalize John Basilone with a postage stamp. How fitting, today, we want to name a post office after him.…”