TFH 11/1: Corporal Anthony Casamento, USMC

Anthony Casamento was born on November 16, 1920 in New York City. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps at age 19 on August 19, 1920 prior to the United States' entry in World War II.

He landed on Guadalcanal with the 1st Marine Division in August of 1942. On November 1, 1942, the Americans ashore on the island launched an attack against the Japanese along the Matanikau River - exactly 70 years ago. Casamento, then a Corporal with the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, kept one of his squad's machine guns in the fight, in spite of his own wounds and the entire gun squad being killed or wounded. He ultimately received the Medal of Honor for his courage.


From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (A-F):


CASAMENTO, ANTHONY

Rank and organization: Corporal, Company D, First Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division. Place and date: Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. Entered service at: Brooklyn, New York. Date and place of birth: 16 November 1920, Brooklyn, New York. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company D, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal, British Solomon Islands, in action against the enemy Japanese forces on 1 November 1942. Serving as a leader of a machine gun section, Corporal Casamento directed his unit to advance along a ridge near the Matanikau River where they engaged the enemy. He positioned his section to provide covering fire for two flanking units and to provide direct support for the main force of his company which was behind him. During the course of this engagement, all members of his section were either killed or severely wounded and he himself suffered multiple, grievous wounds. Nonetheless, Corporal Casamento continued to provide critical supporting fire for the attack and in defense of his position. Following the loss of all effective personnel, he set up, loaded, and manned his unit's machine gun. tenaciously holding the enemy forces at bay. Corporal Casamento single-handedly engaged and destroyed one machine gun emplacement to his front and took under fire the other emplacement on the flank. Despite the heat and ferocity of the engagement, he continued to man his weapon and repeatedly repulsed multiple assaults by the enemy forces, thereby protecting the flanks of the adjoining companies and holding his position until the arrival of his main attacking force. Corporal Casamento's courageous fighting spirit, heroic conduct, and unwavering dedication to duty reflected great credit upon himself and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

Anthony Casamento's heroism went unrecognized for nearly forty years after the battle that day in 1942. His Medal of Honor was presented to him at the White House by President Jimmy Carter on August 22, 1980. He passed away not quite seven years later on July 18, 1987. He rests in peace at the Long Island National Cemetery, Farmingdale, New York.

1st Battalion, 5th Marines continues to defend our great Nation as part of the 1st Marine Division. Their stateside home is Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.