View Full Version : Question: Why Is John Basilone....
in writing after writing ( so many, in fact, that I do not feel the need to cite references here), claimed to be the first Marine of WW II to have been awarded the Medal Of Honor?
Basilone's MOH was for action on Guadalcanal during October of 1942; while Thomason's came for action on 17 Aug 1942 during Carlson's Makin Raid.
I have seen numerous lame explanations as to it being a likely admin error, etc. None to my satisfaction, however.
Semper Fidelis,
Dick Gaines
http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_1940_wwii/thomason.html
http://216.239.33.100/search?q=cache:QBDFml2aJs4C:hqinet001.hqmc.usmc.mi l/HD/Historical/MOH/World_War_II_1941-1945/Thomason_C.htm+clyde+thomaso
"The honor was conferred posthumously and the Medal was presented to his mother, Mrs. Amie Thomason, of Atlanta, by Under Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal, at ceremonies in January 1943 in Washington, D.C.
"
The above quote is from the second link shown in response above.
If so, the fact that the presentation to Thomason's mother did not occur until 1943, does not make anyone else other than Sgt Thomason, the first MOH awardee.
Lock-n-Load
10-14-02, 06:14 PM
This has nothing to shed light on your original question; nevertheless, MSGT/John Basilone is the only Marine in our Corps' history to have been awarded the Medal of Honor[Guadalcanal] and the Navy Cross [Iwo-Jima], and I'm sure you know he was KIA on Iwo-Jima.
the problem may be that Basilone is (erroneously) thought to be the first awardee of the MOH in WW II (Marine), because Basilone may have already been awarded his MOH (earned in Oct42) by the time they presented Sgt Thomason's MOH (earned Aug42)to his mother w/the piece of paper in 1943.
Writers, likely wrote of Basilone as being the "first" prior to Mrs Thomason receiving the presentation, w/o regard to the dates involved.
Yes, Basilone also received a NC for Iwo Jima.
However, Daly was also awarded a DSC (equivalent to a NC) in addition to his 2 MOHs (earned for separate actions)--there may have been others w/MOH and DSCs--don't remember. Most of the 6 or so double MOHs from WWI were simply because, while the Marines were under the Army at that time, it was policy to award both an Army and a Navy MOH for the same action--even so, there was one Marine at that time who only got one--nobody knows why, probably another one of those admin screwups one hears so much of.
DickG
http://216.136.200.194/auction/Oct/200210144337975960908593.jpg
http://216.136.200.194/auction/Oct/200210147584277348676453.jpg