John Basilone commanded two sections of machine guns in a battle, and for his actions,  he received the United States military's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor.
John Basilone (November 4, 1916  February 19, 1945) was a United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant who received the Medal of Honor for heroism above and beyond the call of duty during the Battle for Henderson Field in the Guadalcanal Campaign, and the Navy Cross posthumously for extraordinary heroism during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Basilone commanded two sections of machine guns which fought for the next two days until only Basilone and two other Marines were left standing. 
