Lena Riggi

Lena Mae Riggi Basilone
	; Lena on a beach near Camp Pendleton
Actress	Annie Parisse
Rank	Sergeant
Battles	N/A
Status	Deceased as of 1999

Sergeant Lena Mae Riggi Basilone (formerly Lena Mae Riggi) was the love interest, and eventual wife of John Basilone

History[]

Lena was born in 1913. Her parents wanted her to settle down and get married, but instead, she enlisted in the Marines, and she was disowned by her father. Some time later, Lena met up with her father again and they reconciled over a cup of coffee.

Meeting John Basilone[]

Wearing the chevrons of a Sergeant, Lena would not see action in the Pacific Theatre due to being female, so she was limited to kitchen duties, however, that did not mean that she was any weaker in mindset as the male marines, as John Basilone found out the hard way when they first met. Basilone asked Lena out, but knowing his celebrity status, she refused. Basilone did not give up, however, and he invited Lena to dinner at a fancy restaurant while training some recruits in the 5th Marine Division. She accepted, but it turned out that she was very hard to impress, as Basilone found out afterwards.

Dating and Marriage[]

Basilone did not give up, however. He managed to talk Lena into having a coffee break with him. They talked about some things until Lena's fellow women arrived, marking the end of the date. Lena warmed up to Basilone eventually, and they later had a date on the beach near Camp Pendleton where Basilone was training the 5th Marine Division. Basilone eventually reenlisted (His enlistment originally expired in July) much to the Marines' excitement.

Lena and Basilone knew that their time would be short, so they married the next day. For the next seven months, they made the best of their time together before Basilone left for Iwo Jima with his regiment.

Widowed[]

Unfortunately, Basilone was killed in action on Iwo Jima. Lena received a telegram and went back to the beach, mourning him. After the war, Lena visited Basilone's family and shares a moment, before giving them Basilone's Medal of Honor.

Later Life[]

Lena never remarried. She soon dedicated a destroyer called the USS Basilone to the Navy. She eventually joined her late husband in 1999

Trivia[]

Lena arguably has the biggest role of all the women of the series.
The real Lena at wedding party
Sgt Lena Basilone prepares to christen the Destroyer "USS BASILONE" named after her late husband