|
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.
This data was extracted from the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, U.S. Senate, Medal of Honor Recipients: 1863-1973 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1973)
| | |