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.
I can't even imagine what he and the the marines had to go through. I've read the stories, but it's had to comprehend. Back in the early 70's I was sitting next to this older guy at a bar it it happened to come up he had been a marine at Guadacanal, I asked him to tell me about it and he didn't want to relive it. I understand.
My Mom got the wounded at USNH Balboa, still in their battlefied dressings. I heard some pretty graphic stories, through her, from her patients. Later she filled 2 large albums with photos of her experiences in Australia & New Guinea. I was allowed to see those, when I was about 12, & after.
Please thank your Mom for her service! It was greatly needed, and much appreciated...
It's a little hard to reach her now. She died in '89, or I would.
I started to comment that there could never again be such self-less men and women serving this country, but, I think I thought too fast! The next Colonel Paige is serving right now, and he/ she is not alone! We see kids now days sitting in front of a computer, or video game, or cell phone, and think it can't ossibly be a good thing, if our country came under assault from outside the borders, but I feel that God holds these people back, like in reserve, for the hard times when there is no replacement for them! I pray the God will continue to protect the USA, but, honestly, how can He, when we make a game of SIN? Time is running out, and gets shorter, every day! REPENT of your SINS, and give your life to Jesus! He will save you.! Only He CAN Save you...
You're right! He can neither protect nor bless us as a nation. I fear America's last chance to repent as a nation, & turn aside for a time, Yhwh God's wrath, was squandered (it was for that Trump was inserted; instead, he tried to do it his way, in his own strength & wisdom, & failed). There is time, still, for individuals, but not much. We' re too close to establishing openly Satan's 1world gov't/economy/religion now....
I know some one that is more deadly than a angery Marine, That's an angry Navy Seal!