The John Basilone Memorial Parade, one of Central Jersey's biggest annual events, will be attracting thousands to the borough on Sunday. It's the only parade in the United States that honors a war hero, borough resident John Basilone, whose exploits were celebrated in the HBO series, "The Pacific."
Basilone, who grew up in Raritan, was a Marine sergeant who received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his gallant action during the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942 when during brutal fighting with heavy casualties on both sides, he killed at least 38 Japanese soldiers. After he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, Basilone refused an offer to remain on the homefront and instead asked to be stationed in the Pacific.
