February 19: The Soldier Boy from Buffalo

Welcome to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Today is February 19th, and our story is The Soldier Boy from Duffalo. He seemed invincible, and for a while he was. Born in Buffalo, New York, in 1916, John Basilone was the sixth of ten children brought into the world by Salvatore Basilone, an Italian immigrant, and his first-generation Italian-American wife, Dora.

A typical Catholic boy of his age, the future Marine was educated by nuns, good at boxing, and not interested in school. In October 1942, however, Gunnery Sergeant Bazelon proved anything but typical when, with two machine guns and a .45 caliber pistol, he fended off 3,000 Japanese soldiers on Guadalcanal. At the outset of the attack, Bazelon had 15 men with him. When the Japanese finally surrendered, only two remained.

Almost miraculously, Bazelon kept the machine guns firing for three days and three nights, stopping only once to fight his way through hostile territory and secure more ammunition. Overnight, the newly minted Medal of Honor winner became a household name. The U.S. government took advantage of that, pulling Bazelon out of combat and ordering him to sell war bonds.

In just over a year, the Marine raised more than $1.4 million for the war effort. He hated the attention, though, and repeatedly asked to return to combat. He finally did in late 1943. On February 19, 1945, Bazelon was among the first to land on Red Beach II. During the invasion of Iwo Jima, Almost single-handedly, he fought his way past enemy fire to the blockhouses that sheltered Japanese troops. Within minutes, Bazelon destroyed the blockhouses with grenades and small arms. He then navigated three American tanks through a minefield, all the while exposing himself to enemy fire.

A short while later, however, something, no one knows what, struck Bazelon while he stood briefing his men. He died in an instant. After Iwo Jima, the U.S. government posthumously awarded Bazelon the Navy Cross, making him the only enlisted Marine in World War II to win both the Navy Cross and the Medal of Honor.

True bravery is selfless, requiring sacrifice for the sake of others, even at the cost of one's own life. While we may not face battlefields like Bazelon, we encounter daily opportunities to act with courage, standing for truth, defending the vulnerable, and persevering in difficult circumstances. Identify one area today where courage is needed, whether defending someone, speaking truth, or persevering in a difficult task, and act boldly, trusting God's presence.

Thank you for listening to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Join us tomorrow, February 20th, for another story of faith and courage in America.