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	71k	John Basilone was one of a family of ten children. Born in Buffalo, New York, on November 4, 1916, to Italian parents, he went to St. Bernard Parochial School in Raritan, New Jersey and enlisted in the United States Army at the age of 18. After completing his three-year enlistment in the Philippines, where he was a champion boxer, he came home and went to work as a truck driver in Reisterstown, Maryland. In July 1940, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in Baltimore, Maryland, believing that he could return to Manila quicker with the Marines than with the Army. Before going to the Solomon Islands he saw service at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in addition to training at the Marine Corps Base Quantico, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island and Camp Lejeune, then called New River. Gunnery Sergeant Basilone's buddies on Guadalcanal called him "Manila John" because he had served with the Army in The Philippines before enlisting in the Marine Corps. Private First Class Nash W. Phillips, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, recalled him from the battle for Guadalcanal: "Basilone had a machine gun on the go for three days and nights without sleep, rest or food". "He was in a good emplacement, and causing the Japs lots of trouble, not only firing his machine gun but also using his pistol." Basilone was returned to the States and participated in a War Bond Tour. Medal of Honor recipients are generally not allowed to return to combat. However, Basilone requested a return to the fighting in the Pacific theatre. Basilone was serving with the 27th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division during the invasion of Iwo Jima. On Red Beach II, he and his platoon were pinned down by enemy gunfire. He single-handedly destroyed an enemy blockhouse, allowing his unit to capture an airfield. Minutes later he was killed by an enemy artillery round. He was the only enlisted Marine in World War II to receive the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross, as well as a Purple Heart. John Basilone is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. Medal of Honor Citation Reads: “For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Lunga Area. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 October 1942. While the enemy was hammering at the Marines' defensive positions, Sgt. Basilone, in charge of 2 sections of heavy machine guns, fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault. In a fierce frontal attack with the Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sgt. Basilone's sections, with its guncrews, was put out of action, leaving only 2 men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire, repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrived. A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. Basilone, at great risk of his life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way through hostile lines with urgently needed shells for his gunners, thereby contributing in large measure to the virtual annihilation of a Japanese regiment. His great personal valor and courageous initiative were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service”.		Tony Cowart/Bill Gonyo
	69k	Undated postcard Copyright © Arnold Art, Newport, RI.		Mike Smolinski
	218k	Undated, location unknown. From the collection of CDR Thomas B. Ray (USS Essex CV-9). Photo USN 1049641.		Chris Stanley
	123k	USS Basilone (DDE-824) underway, location unknown. Photo courtesy of Skyfotos from the 1961-62 Edition of Jane's Fighting Ships.		Robert Hurst
	48k	The stores ship USS Zelima (AF-49) replenishes the destroyer USS Basilone (DD-824) and the attack carrier USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) in the Western Pacific.		Robert Hurst
	122k	Undated, location unknown.		Richard Miller BMCS USNR RET.
	105k	Photo #: NH 103377, Sergeant Lena Mae Basilone, USMC(WR), ship's sponsor, prepares to christen the destroyer, at the Consolidated Steel Company Shipyard, Orange, Texas, on 21 December 1945. She was the widow of Gunnery Sergeant John J. Basilone, USMC, in whose honor the ship was named. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the "All Hands" collection at the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	102k	Photo #: NH 103385, USS Basilone (DDE-824) underway in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, 21 July 1949. Photographed by R.A. Halverson, Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	96k	Photo #: NH 103384, USS Basilone (DDE-824) underway in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, 21 July 1949. Photographed by R.A. Halverson, Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	125k	Photo #: NH 103386, USS Basilone (DDE-824) underway in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, 21 July 1949. Photographed by R.A. Halverson, Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island. Note that this ship carries a trainable Hedgehog mount on her port side admidships, with provision for a second such weapon on the starboard side. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	192k	Photo #: NH 103387, USS Basilone (DDE-824) underway in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, 21 July 1949. Photographed by R.A. Halverson, Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	169k	Photo #: NH 103388, USS Basilone (DDE-824) underway in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, 21 July 1949. Photographed by R.A. Halverson, Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	164k	Photo #: NH 103380, USS Basilone (DDE-824) underway, circa the early or middle 1950s. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	52k	Circa 1952, location unknown.		Robert Hurst
	92k	1952 in Algiers, (L-R) USS Damato (DD-871), USS Holder (DD-819), USS Rich (DD-820), USS Basilone (DD-824) and USS Wilson (DD-847).		Richard Miller, BMCS, USNR (Ret.)
	41k	Circa 1954, Valetta, Malta.		Robert Hurst
	167k	July 6 1956, location unknown.		Ed Zajkowski
	129k	USS Valley Forge (CVS-45) steaming in formation with Destroyer Squadron 36, during anti-submarine exercises of the Atlantic Fleet's Task Group ALFA, 6 November 1958. The destroyers are ((from top): USS Basilone (DDE-824); USS Damato (DDE-871); USS Robert L. Wilson (DDE-847); USS Harold J. Ellison (DD-864); USS Holder (DDE-819) and USS New (DDE-818). Official U.S. Navy Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	127k	USS Valley Forge (CVS-45) steaming in formation with Destroyer Squadron 36, during anti-submarine exercises of the Atlantic Fleet's Task Group ALFA, 6 November 1958. The destroyers are ((from top): USS Basilone (DDE-824); USS Damato (DDE-871); USS Robert L. Wilson (DDE-847); USS Harold J. Ellison (DD-864); USS Holder (DDE-819) and USS New (DDE-818). Official U.S. Navy Photograph.		Fred Weiss
	119k	Photo #: NH 103379, USS Basilone (DDE-824) underway at sea, circa the later 1950s or early 1960s. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	122k	Photo #: NH 103378, USS Basilone (DDE-824) comes alongside USS Albemarle (AV-4) to transfer personnel, 24 February 1960. Photographed by Ozizkonski. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	114k	Photo #: NH 103394, USS Basilone (DD-824) view looking forward from astern, taken at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in March 1964, as Basilone was completing her FRAM I conversion. Note the crane barge alongside. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	122k	Photo #: NH 103389, USS Basilone (DD-824) closeup view of the ship's port bow, taken at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in March 1964, as the ship was completing her FRAM I conversion. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	92k	Photo #: NH 103390, USS Basilone (DD-824) view looking forward over the ship's foredeck, taken at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in March 1964, as Basilone was completing her FRAM I conversion. Note the tall antenna fitted atop the ship's forward 5"/38 twin gun mount. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	126k	Photo #: NH 103391, USS Basilone (DD-824) view looking aft from over the ship's foredeck, taken at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in March 1964, as Basilone was completing her FRAM I conversion. Note the underway replenishment fittings and Mark 32 triple torpedo tubes on the 01 level forward of the ship's newly fitted enclosed bridge. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	98k	Photo #: NH 103392, USS Basilone (DD-824) view looking aft from over the ship's foredeck, taken at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in March 1964, as Basilone was completing her FRAM I conversion. Note the ship's forward 5"/38 twin gun mount, topped by a tall antenna. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	116k	Photo #: NH 103393, USS Basilone (DD-824) view looking forward from over the ship's afterdeck, taken at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in March 1964, as Basilone was completing her FRAM I conversion. Note the ship's DASH drone helicopter flight deck and hangar, and her starboard whaleboat rigged out on its davits. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	139k	Photo #: NH 103395, USS Basilone (DD-824) closeup view of the ship's port quarter, taken at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in March 1964, as Basilone was completing her FRAM I conversion. Note the ship's propeller guard, hull number, name, and dented hull plating. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	246k	April 27 1964 at Philadelphia Navy Yard.		Ed Zajkowski
	218k	As above.		Ed Zajkowski
	82k	Boston , June 1965		© Richard Leonhardt
	226k	Newport, August 1965		© Richard Leonhardt
	19k	USS Richard E. Kraus (DD-849), USS Basilone (DD-824) and USS Fiske (DD-842) ready for Christmas 1965 at Newport, RI.		Chief Ed Davis USN (Ret.)
	131k	Photo #: KN-13021, USS Basilone (DD-824) underway off Oahu, Hawaii, in February 1966. Taken by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class (AC) C.A. Komperda, of Composite Squadron One (VC-1). Official U.S. Navy Photograph.		Tony Cowart
	122k	Photo #: NH 103381, USS Basilone (DD-824) operating off the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, 17 February 1966. Photographed by Komperda. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	110k	Photo #: USN 1117062, USS Sacramento (AOE-1), center replenishing the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14), at right, and the destroyer USS Basilone (DD-824) in the South China Sea, 13 April 1966. Taken by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class J.L. Rivera, USN. Official U.S. Navy Photograph.		Tony Cowart
	85k	USS Basilone (DD-824) and USS Richard B. Anderson (DD-786) in Kaohsiung, Taiwan May 1966.		Larry Backus
	139k	As above, that evening.		Larry Backus
	140k	South China Sea, July 7 1966		© Richard Leonhardt
	74k	South China Sea, July 7 1966		© Richard Leonhardt
	129k	USS Sierra (AD-18) at San Juan, Puerto Rico, 26 February 1967 with six destroyers alongside including the Basilone (DD-824), Fiske (DD-842), Davis (DD-937), Richard E Kraus (DD-849), Harwood (DD-861), and the Gyatt (DD-712). Taken from the USU Fred T. Berry (DD-858).		© Richard Leonhardt
	91k	Naples, Italy 1968.		Marc Piché
	79k	Photo #: NH 103396-KN, USS Basilone (DD-824) underway at sea, circa the later 1960s or early 1970s. This photograph may have been taken by USS America (CVA-66). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	74k	Two views of the Basilone alongside the USS Columbus (CG-12) circa 1970 in the Mediterranean for refueling in heavy weather.		Doug Tindal
	102k	As above.		Doug Tindal
	114k	Photo #: NH 86385, USS Basilone (DD-824) underway, 3 January 1972. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Tony Cowart
	74k	Photo #: NH 86386, USS Basilone (DD-824) underway at sea on 3 January 1972. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.		Tony Cowart
	124k	Photo #: NH 103382, USS Basilone (DD-824) underway in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, 3 January 1972. Photographed by PHAN Agar. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	97k	May 1972, recently renovated crew's head, NPC 1151394.		Ed Zajkowski
	63k	Photo #: NH 103398, USS Basilone (DD-824) receives assistance from the harbor tug Cochali (YTM-383) as she arrives at Newport, Rhode Island, on 6 February 1973. While operating in the Atlantic on the previous day, Basilone had sustained a boiler explosion that took the lives of three of her crew and injured eight more. Taken by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Troy A. Lewiston. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	106k	Newpaper file photo and story of the boiler explosion.		Tommy Trampp
	87k	Photo #: NH 103397, Secretary of the Navy J. William Middendorf II (left center) speaks to the crew of USS Basilone (DD-824), as the ship operates at Kithira Anchorage near the island of Crete, 15 September 1975. Mr. Middendorf is making a two-week visit to U.S. and Allied military units in Europe. A Soviet "Kresta" class guided missile ship is cruising in the right background. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.		Tony Cowart
	313k	September 30 1975 in the Kithira Strait, Mediterranean Sea as she arrived at the anchorage with other American warships after Deep Express - 75 naval exercise.Photo was taken from the Soviet Kashin class DDG Krasny Krim.		Eugene Ivkin
	66k	Baltimore, Maryland drydock 1976		Dennis Fournier STG1
	82k	In home port Norfolk, VA between unknown destroyer tender and USS Conyngham DDG-17 in 1976. Good comparison of size to DDG.		Dennis Fournier STG1
	40k	Ship's patch.		Mike Smolinski
	21k	Ship's patch.		Mike Smolinski
	51k	Ship's patch.		Mike Smolinski
	100k-120k	Uniform Ship's name shoulder patch.		Al Grazevich
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CDR Mark Edwin Dennet    Jul 26 1949 - Aug 1950

CDR John Harllee Carmichael    Aug 1950 - Oct 1951

CDR Ralph Lester Ramey    Oct 1951 - Dec 1952

CDR Malcolm Willis Whitaker Jr.    Dec 1952 - Jan 28 1955

CDR Robert Schenck Day    Jan 28 1955 - Mar 16 1956

CDR Robert Malcolm Stuart    Mar 16 1956 - Feb 1958

CDR James Hunter Aldrich    Feb 1958 - Jul 1959

CDR Claude Bufford Shaw    Jul 1959 - Mar 1961

CDR Herbert Dudley Mills Jr.    Mar 1961 - Jun 1962

CDR John Richard Riediger    Jun 1962 - 1963

CDR William Herbert Simone    1963 - 1963

LCDR Charles Homer Davidson    1963 - 1964

CDR Donald Clay Bayly    1964 - 1965

CDR Robert Edward Lee Stokes Jr.    1965 - 1967

CDR Harry Stetson Keller Jr.    1967 - 1969

CDR Edward John Sottack    1969 - Sep 9 1971

CDR John Louis Townley    Sep 9 1971 - Nov 1972

CDR Noel Harper Petree Jr.    Nov 1972 - 1974

CDR Charles Anthony McLellan    1974 - Mar 10 1976

CDR Edwin Jackie Knapp    Mar 10 1976 - Nov 1 1977