One Marine Held the Line Against an Entire Japanese Regiment

The night of October 25, 1942, was chaos incarnate. Surrounded by 2,700 Japanese soldiers, Marine Platoon Sergeant Mitchell Paige stood as the last man of his 33-member unit on Guadalcanal.

Alone, he fought relentlessly, manning four machine guns and refusing to yield. When reinforcements finally arrived, Paige led a ferocious bayonet charge, turning the tide in one of the Pacific War’s most pivotal battles.

From Pennsylvania to the Pacific

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Born to Serbian immigrant parents in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, Mitchell Paige demonstrated his dedication to service early on. On his 18th birthday in 1936, he walked and hitchhiked 200 miles to Baltimore to enlist in the Marine Corps. (ref)

His early military career was marked by diverse assignments, including guard duty at Mare Island Navy Yard and service aboard the USS Wyoming. From 1938 to 1939, Paige served in China, where he protected American interests and witnessed the brutality of Japanese forces during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

The Desperate Stand

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The night of October 25, 1942, proved to be pivotal. Paige had carefully prepared his platoon’s defense, setting up trip wires and positioning four machine guns along the ridge. When Japanese forces launched their massive assault, Paige’s men fought valiantly against overwhelming odds.

As his fellow Marines fell one by one, Paige maintained an extraordinary defense, running between multiple machine gun positions to create the illusion of a fully manned defense line. His citation notes that he continued fighting with “fearless determination” even after all his gunners were either killed or wounded. (ref)

A Bold Counter-Attack

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When reinforcements finally arrived, Paige demonstrated impressive leadership by organizing an immediate counteroffensive. Despite exhaustion from hours of continuous combat, he grabbed a still-hot machine gun and led a daring bayonet charge into enemy lines.

This aggressive action caught the Japanese forces off guard, forcing their retreat and preventing what could have been a devastating breakthrough to the beach road. The Japanese had carefully planned this attack, hoping to exploit any weakness in the Marine positions, but Paige’s actions thwarted their strategy.

Legacy of Honor

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Paige’s extraordinary heroism earned him the Medal of Honor, presented by General Alexander A. Vandegrift in Melbourne, Australia.

The Medal of Honor, America’s highest military decoration, is reserved for those who display “personal bravery or self-sacrifice so conspicuous” that it distinguishes them from their comrades.

Paige’s humility was evident when he dedicated the medal to his fallen platoon members, stating it belonged to all 33 men who served with him.

Life After Guadalcanal

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Following Guadalcanal, Paige’s military career continued to flourish. He was promoted to second lieutenant and served in various capacities, including the Battle of Cape Gloucester.

During the Korean War, while not serving overseas, he held several crucial positions within the Marine Corps, including Plans and Operations Officer and division recruiting officer.

After retiring as a colonel in 1959, he remained active in military affairs, working with the FBI to protect the integrity of the Medal of Honor by identifying false claims. During the Vietnam War, he contributed his expertise to testing high-powered rockets.

Impact on the Pacific War

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The Battle of Guadalcanal marked a decisive turning point in the Pacific Theater. The campaign’s toll was immense – the Japanese lost 14,800 combat deaths and 9,000 deaths from disease. (ref)

American losses included approximately 1,592 killed in action and 4,183 wounded, with thousands more affected by tropical diseases. The victory at Guadalcanal halted Japanese expansion in the Pacific and marked the beginning of Allied offensive operations that would eventually lead to victory.

The battle demonstrated the importance of joint military operations, setting a precedent for future campaigns where success depended on the coordinated efforts of all military branches.