Mitchell Paige

Full Name: Mitchell Paige

Hometown: Charleroi, Pennsylvania

Rank/Branch: Colonel, United States Marine Corps

Key Unit(s):

• 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Guadalcanal)

Death: November 15, 2003 — La Quinta, California

Summary: Mitchell Paige is remembered as one of the fiercest machine gun leaders in Marine Corps history, earning the Medal of Honor for actions that helped save the 1st Marine Division during the Battle of Guadalcanal. On the night of October 25, 1942, Japanese forces launched a massive, coordinated assault against the Marine lines. Paige’s machine gun section absorbed the brunt of the attack. As his Marines were killed or wounded, he single-handedly operated four different machine guns, moving between positions under relentless fire and maintaining a steady stream of fire that held back repeated enemy charges. His refusal to yield, and his ability to keep the guns in action despite overwhelming odds, prevented a breakthrough and stabilized a collapsing flank.

When the Japanese assault finally faltered, Paige rallied the remaining Marines and led a bayonet charge that drove the enemy off the ridge entirely. His gallantry became one of the defining legends of Guadalcanal. After the war, Paige received a commission and continued to serve honorably through the Korean War, eventually retiring as a colonel. A humble and fiercely patriotic Marine, he dedicated his later life to speaking with young Americans about service, sacrifice, and love of country. His legacy endures as a reminder that a single determined Marine can make a difference when everything hangs in the balance.

Submitted by: Rich Brown