Italian Cultural Center, Stone Park Illinois

December 7, 2007 anniversary of Pearl Harbor

Submitted to a group of Italian Americans who saw fit to hold a round table discussion on the experience of Chicago Italians in WWII. Vince Romano

John Basilone was the only enlisted man in WWII to win both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross, the two highest awards given by this country for valor under fire.  His extraordinary exploits throughout the South Pacific campaign are documented in the chronicles of America’s war heroes. The son of immigrant parents who found their way here from the shores of southern Italy, Sgt. Basilone was killed during the invasion of Iwo Jima. He was only one of the thousands upon thousands of first generation Italian American warriors who sacrificed life, limb and beyond for their country.

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