(Little Italy can be very busy in the evenings and on the weekend. Please use stealth when searching for the cache in this high-traffic muggle area!)
Piazza Basilone
Piazza Basilone was created in November of 2003 to honor Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone and the “Boys That Never Came Home” from the wars in the 20th century. Piazza Basilone stands as a permanent mark in time, celebrating the lives of the fallen and GySgt Basilone’s heroism and the accolades that he received while serving this county.
The Piazza is used as a gathering space for families and veterans, as well as a space for special events and more.
Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone
GySgt John Basilone was a United States Marine Gunnery Sergeant who received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Guadalcanal during World War II. He was the only enlisted Marine in World War II to receive both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross.
He served three years in the United States Army with duty in the Philippines before joining the Marine Corps in 1940. After attending training, Basilone deployed to Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, the Solomon Islands and eventually to Guadalcanal where he held off 3,000 Japanese troops after his 15-member unit was reduced to two other men. He was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of Iwo Jima, after which he was posthumously honored with the Navy Cross. He has received many honors including being the namesake for streets, military locations and a United States Navy destroyer.