Supporting the Order Sons of Italy in America in their efforts to secure the issuance of a commemorative stamp by the United States Post Office in honor of United States Marine Corps Sergeant John Basilone.

WHEREAS, Marine Corps Sergeant John Basilone was a hero without equal during World War II. He demonstrated incredible bravery and placed himself in harm's way time after time to help his fellow soldiers and to pursue an American victory; and

WHEREAS, During the battle of Guadalcanal in the Pacific, and during every battle in which he fought, Sergeant Basilone defied the odds, including bad weather conditions, closed supply lines, head-on enemy fire and disabled gun operations, to win victory for America and at the same time save the lives of his fellow soldiers; and

WHEREAS, He returned from battle and became the war's first Marine to receive the Medal of Honor and the first enlisted Marine to earn the Congressional Medal of Honor. He also received a Citation from President Franklin D. Roosevelt and was on the cover of Life Magazine; and

WHEREAS, With all that, he still chose to return to the war, and his final tour of duty was Iwo Jima. He was killed in battle on February 19, 1945. He received a posthumous Purple Heart; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby honor the memory of Marine Corps Sergeant John Basilone. We urge the United States Post Office to issue a commemorative stamp for this brave and courageous man, so that his memory will live on and serve as an inspiration to future generations.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That certified copies of this Resolution be forwarded to the Post Master General of the United States, United States Senator Rick Santorum and to Eugene V. Morabito, State President of the Order Sons of Italy in America.

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