Medal of Honor Recipient Anthony Casamento

How privileged we were to have been contacted by Anthony Casaemento’s daughter with some “never been seen by the public” photos of Medal of Honor Recipient Casamento receiving his medal from President Jimmy Carter in the Rose Garden and other service photos.

Corporal Anthony Casamento was born on November 16, 1920 in Manhattan, the son of Mr. & Mrs. Charles Casamento.  On September 12, 1980, President Jimmy Carter presented the Congressional Medal of Honor to Casamento in a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden … 38 years after his heroism on Guadalcanal in 1942!  Can you imagine waiting 38 years for such recognition?  Both the American Legion and the Order Sons of Italy in America were most instrumental in assisting support for this “much too late” acknowledgment.

Anthony Casamento enlisted in the Marine Corps and after completing recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina … he was assigned to the 5th Marines, 1st Division.  Six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the 5th Marines was on its way to the southwest Pacific to take part in the initial invasions of Japanese held territory as part of the 1st Marine Division.  The Marine landing on Guadalcanal began in August 1942 and Cpl Casamento made the assault with Company D, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines.

On November 1, 1942, while serving as a leader of a machine gun squad, Cpl. Casamento’s Marines came under heavy enemy fire near the Matanikau River.  During the ensuing battle, all members of the unit were either killed or severely wounded.  Despite his own multiple wounds, 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.  He was cited for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.” Corporal 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 Corporal Casamento’s heroism were still alive.  That set in motion of chain of events that would ultimately result in his 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 starts, the Presidential Unit Citation and the American Defense Service Medal.

Anthony Casamento died on July 27, 1987 in the VA Hospital in Northport, New York.