Birth Born on May 25, 1923 in New York, NY Death Died on November 10, 2013 in Monroe, Monroe Co., MI Buried in Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, Oakland Co., MI Marriages WILLIGAR, Irene Eugenia Notes Military Service: WW2 US Navy Chief Petty Officer Obituary: Bartholomew "Bart" Basile, a World War II Navy veteran who was nearly killed in the war while defending our country, died Sunday morning at Mercy Memorial Hospital. He spent the last 10 years at Magnumcare of Monroe Nursing Home, mostly alone. He had no family here. Cremation has taken place through Rupp Funeral Home. His remains will be interred in Great Lakes National Veterans Cemetery in Holly, Michigan. Bart was a life member of Monroe VFW Post 1138 and the Disabled American Veterans and was one of the most decent and kind human beings to walk the earth. He was born on May 25, 1923 to Joseph and Jenny (McGee) Basile in New York City. He entered the Navy in 1939 at age 16 because of financial hardship and served aboard the submarine USS Nautilus during the famous Makin Atoll Raid and also at the Battle of Okinawa on a Navy Destroyer named the USS Overton. When his ship was sinking during the battle he was blown off of it by an exploding Kamikaze plane, blinded in midair and left for dead in the ocean. He was alone in the water for 18 hours when he had a talk with God. He promised he would live a good life if he was spared. He miraculously survived and lived to be 90 years old and did live a good life filled with kindness and respect for others. Bart received two Purple Hearts for wounds received in two different battles out of five he fought in and he served from the beginning to the end of WWII. He achieved the rank of Chief Petty Officer. A memorial service will be held at the Monroe VFW hall on Saturday, November 23rd at 11am. Anyone who would like to attend to honor a mostly forgotten WWII veteran who deserves to be remembered may do so. Special people in Bart's life at the end were the staff at Magnumcare and the nurses and doctors at Mercy Memorial Hospital who cared for him over the years, in particular Dr. Jonathan Pasko. Monroe VFW Post 1138 will provide military funeral rites. Bart leaves behind a brother, Thomas, in Florida and a few local friends who were blessed by knowing him. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife Irene. Memorials may be made in Bart's honor and memory to Monroe VFW Post 1138. The Monroe Evening News - 11/16/2013 Sources Newspaper Obituary: The Monroe Evening News Monroe,MI November 16,2013 Obituary