26OCT1942: PltSgt Mitchell Paige was leading a machine gun platoon on Guadalcanal with the 2/7 Marines when they were tasked with reinforcing a portion of the westernmost lines. Moving into position, Paige had his men dig in and prepare to head off any Japanese attack that was expected to kick off any moment. Late on the 25th, Paige noticed enemy lights in the distance. He notified his men and readied for the attack. It kicked off in the early morning hours of the 26th as Japanese soldiers charged their position. As his machine guns hammered the enemy, some overheated and created temporary gaps in the line. Some attackers made it through and were eventually killed in hand to hand combat. PltSgt Paige did all he could to keep his men in the fight and before long found himself manning an gun. He was so focused on the attacking enemy fighters that it wasn't until his gun was shot out from underneath him that he realized he was the only Marine not dead or wounded from his section of the line. He quickly ran back to his sister company to pick up another machine gun and returned to the line. Again laying fire into the enemy, Paige had wounded Marines help him with loading ammo and changing barrels. Finally, recognizing a break in the attack, Paige seized the opportunity to end the fight. He ordered the men around him to fix bayonets and he led a charge down the hill into the Japanese staging area. Killing at least one with his MG that he carried, Paige and his team quickly found themselves without targets. They had repulsed the attack, nearly 1,200 strong. For his actions that day, PltSgt Paige would be awarded the Medal of Honor. He would earn a battlefield commission and retired as a Colonel in 1959.

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