When he graduated high school in 1936, Mitchell Paige signed up for the Marine Corps. His parents were Serbian immigrants, and he wanted nothing more than to serve the country that welcomed his family.

Battle At Guadalcanal

He spent a couple of years training before World War II broke out. In 1941, Paige went to the Pacific Theater. He went to British Samoa and then moved on to Guadalcanal.

The island was of strategic importance to the United States, and they would do anything to ensure that the Japanese would not take it. They could cut off the American and Australian supply lines if they did.

Japan, however, was not going to let the island go without a fight. The under-construction airfield at Lunga Point, Henderson Field.

The Marines had a perimeter around the field, and the Japanese were looking for a way to get through. They planned on disabling the aircraft since they were a threat to the Japanese ships.

Defending The Airfield

The Japanese ships pummeled the Marines, but the U.S. soldiers were determined to defend the airfield. Platoon Sgt. Mitchell Paige led the machine gun company when the Japanese overtook the Marines. The men in the machine gun unit were killed or wounded as the fighting went on.

Then Paige began firing his gun at the Japanese until one group was destroyed and quickly moved to the next. Eventually, he took out an entire Japanese regiment. His quick actions and relentless firing bought enough time for reinforcements to come.

When backup from the 7th Marines came, Paige had the new line grab bayonets and charged at the Japanese force. They were able to force them away from the airfield.

They stopped the Japanese from breaking through the perimeter. Paige was given the Medal of Honor for his efforts and a battlefield commission to 2nd Lieutenant. When Paige retired in 1964, he was a Colonel in the Marine Corps.