ANTHONY CASAMENTO
CORPORAL, USMC
Corporal Anthony Casamento was born 16 November 1920 in Manhattan, New York, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Casamento. On 12 September 1980, President Jimmy Carter presented the Medal of Honor to Casamento in a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden, 38 years after Casamento's heroism on Guadalcanal in 1942.
Corporal Casamento enlisted in the Marine Corps on 19 August 1940 in New York City. After completing recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, South Carolina, Casamento was assigned to the 5th Marines of the 1st Marine Division.
Six months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the 5th Marines was on its way to the southwest Pacific to take part in the initial invasion of Japanese-held territory as part of the 1st Marine Division. The Marine landing on Guadalcanal began in August 1942 and Corporal Casamento made the assault with Company D, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines.
On 1 November, 1942, while serving as a leader of a machine gun squad, Corporal Casamento's Marines came under heavy enemy fire near the Matanikau River. During the ensuing battle, all members of Casamento's unit were either killed or severely wounded. Despite his own multiple wounds, Corporal Casamento continued to provide supporting fire and heroically held the enemy at bay, thereby protecting the flanks of adjoining companies until he was physically unable to continue.
Casamento was treated at a medical aid station, then shipped back to the United States and admitted to the naval hospital in Oakland, California.
In 1964, it was learned that two eyewitnesses to Casamento's heroism were still alive. That set in motion a chain of events that would ultimately result in Casamento receiving the Medal of Honor in 1980.
In addition to the Medal of Honor, Casamento's awards include the Purple Heart, the World War II Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Medal with two bronze stars, the Presidential Unit Citation and the American Defense Service Medal.
Casamento died 27 July 1987 in the VA hospital in Northport, New York, after a long illness.