Manila John
Sgt. John Basilone is a Marine Corps legend. Nicknamed “Manila John” by his men, he single-handedly held a key position defending the line on Guadalcanal against an all-out Japanese assault on October 24, 1942. Noticing one of his machine-gun positions silenced during the battle, he carried another gun and tripod, weighing about ninety pounds, across two hundred yards of fire-swept terrain and took up the fight by himself. During the night he retraced his steps to get more ammunition, holding his position all night under repeated attacks. For these feats he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. He was awarded the Navy Cross for heroism on Iwo Jima, where he was tragically killed in action on February 19, 1945.
In between these battles Basilone returned to the United States, where he traveled the country, speaking on behalf of the war effort. The Marine Corps offered to commission him an officer and to assign him to stateside duty. His response, “ I ain’t no officer, and I ain’t no museum piece. I belong back with my outfit.”179
Before returning to duty in the Pacific, he found time to pen a thoughtful prayer for publication in the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Prayer Book :
Prayer by a Marine Corps Sergeant
O God, I confess that I did not really appreciate the value of religious freedom until I was wholly certain of the righteousness of our course. Born of humble parentage I was not endowed with a spiritual expressiveness. Since my exploits I was uplifted by the power of Christ. It was He who watched over me with an unmistakable sign of divine guidance. How I ever was spared from the Great Beyond only the Lord knows. I pray each night for my comrades who paid the Supreme Sacrifice and I know that they are triumphant inhabitants of heaven white flowers of a blameless life. I now carry the riches of God in my heart something that I shall forever be thankful for. Almighty God, I ask for your continued guidance. Please redeem and purify humanity, for thine is the power forever and ever. Amen.180
Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure.
—Job 14:1–2