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| 2nd Lt. Mitchell Paige wearing his Medal of Honor at the ceremony. |
Colonel Mitchell Paige
(August 31, 1918 – November 15, 2003) was a recipient of the Medal of Honor
from World War II. He received this, the highest military honor awarded by the
United States of America, for his actions at the Battle of Guadalcanal in the
Solomon Islands on October 26, 1942, where, after all of the other Marines in
his platoon were killed or wounded, he operated four machine guns, single-handedly stopping an entire Japanese regiment.
Paige was born in
Charleroi, Pennsylvania. His parents were Serb immigrants who arrived in the
United States from the Military Frontier of Austria-Hungary, their last name
being Pejić. His mother kept him and his brother in touch with their roots,
reminding them of the Battle of Kosovo, but also told them to be proud
Americans. His family later moved to the Camden Hills neighborhood of West
Mifflin. He graduated from McKeesport High School before enlisting in the US
Marines.
Paige enlisted in the
Marine Corps on September 1, 1936 at Baltimore, Maryland and completed his boot
camp training at Parris Island, South Carolina. In November 1936, he was
transferred to Quantico, Virginia and later served as a gunner aboard the USS
Wyoming. While aboard the Wyoming he took part in maneuvers via Panama to San
Clemente Island off the coast of California. In February 1937, he was
transferred to Mare Island Navy Yard for guard duty, and two months later was
ordered to Cavite in the Philippine Islands. While on Cavite he became a member
of the All-Navy-Marine baseball team, which gained prominence throughout the
Islands and the Orient. He served in China from October 1938 to September 1939
and during his tour he guarded American property during the famous Tientsin
flood. He left North China and returned to the U.S. in April 1940 for guard
duty at the Brooklyn and Philadelphia Navy Yards. In September 1940 he rejoined
the 5th Marines, at Quantico, and the following month participated in maneuvers
at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Culebra, Puerto Rico.
In March 1941, he was
transferred back to the States and ordered to New River, North Carolina, to
help construct and prepare a new training base for Marines, which later became Camp
Lejeune.
After the Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor, he was once more sent overseas with the 7th Marines and
landed at Apia, British Samoa. From Samoa, the 7th Marines went to Guadalcanal,
landing in September 1942. He earned the nation’s highest decoration for
heroism, the Medal of Honor, during the campaign for Guadalcanal in October
1942, when he made a desperate lone stand against enemy Japanese after they had
broken through the lines and killed or wounded all of the Marines in his
machine gun section. Platoon Sergeant Paige fired his machine gun until it was
destroyed, then moved from gun to gun, keeping up a withering fire until he
finally received reinforcements. He later led a bayonet charge that drove the
Japanese back and prevented a breakthrough in American lines.
While on Guadalcanal he
was commissioned a second lieutenant in the field on December 19, 1942. He remained
on the island until January 1943, when he went to Melbourne, Australia, with
the 1st Marine Division. The Marine Corps’ World War II Commandant, Gen
Alexander A. Vandegrift, presented the Medal of Honor to 2nd Lieutenant Paige
there in the spring of 1943. In June 1943, he was promoted to first lieutenant.
In September 1943, 1st
Lieutenant Paige left with the 1st Marine Division for New Guinea where they
joined the 6th Army for the attack on Cape Gloucester, New Britain, on 26
December 1943. In May 1944, the Division left Cape Gloucester for a rest area
in the Russell Islands, Pavuvu. In July 1944, 1st Lieutenant Paige was sent back
to the States and assigned duty at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He was
promoted to captain February 28, 1945. In June 1945, Capt. Paige became
Tactical Training Officer at Camp Matthews, California, and the following
September, was sent to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot as a recruit training
officer. He was placed on inactive duty in May 1946, returning to active duty
again in July 1950, and was assigned duty at Camp Pendleton, Oceanside,
California.
He was later
transferred to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at San Diego, California, as
Plans and Operations Officer of the 2d Recruit Training Battalion. At this
time, he also went on a special assignment as Plans and Training Officer in
charge of setting up a Platoon Leader’s Course training program for the Special
Training Company. He was promoted to the rank of major on January 1, 1951.
In October 1951, Major
Paige became Executive Officer of the 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, Marine
Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California, until October 1952, when he was
transferred to the 4th Special Junior Course at Marine Corps Schools, Quantico.
He attended school there until May 1953, then served as Division Recruiting
Officer, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, until February
1954.
Major Paige was next
assigned to Sub-Unit #2, Headquarters Company, Headquarters Battalion, 3rd
Marine Division, San Francisco, California, serving as Officer in Charge,
Division Non-Commissioned Officers School until April 1955. During this period,
he also served briefly as Assistant Officer in Charge of Sub-Unit #1.
From there he served as
Battalion Executive Officer and later Commanding Officer of the 3rd Battalion,
7th Marines, 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, from April 1955 until
August 1955 when he reported to the 12th Marine Corps Reserve and Recruitment
District to serve as Officer in Charge of Marine Corps Recruiting Station in
San Francisco. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel in May 1957.
In August 1957,
Lieutenant Colonel Paige was assigned duty as Inspector-Instructor, 7th
Infantry Battalion, USMCR, at San Bruno, California, until August 1958, when he
was detached to Headquarters Marine Corps, Washington, D.C.
In May 1959, he entered
the U.S. Army Language School in Monterey, California, and remained there for
nine months until he was ordered to the Marine Barracks, U.S. Naval Station,
San Diego, California, to serve as Executive Officer until October 1959. He was
placed on the Disability Retired List on 1 November 1959 and for being
specially commended for performance of duty in actual combat he was promoted to
colonel upon retirement.
Paige retired in 1959
with the rank of Colonel. In retirement, Paige wrote a book about his
experiences titled A Marine Named Mitch (published in 1975). In his later years,
he served to ferret out imposters wearing or selling the Medal of Honor.
On November 15, 2003,
Paige died of congestive heart failure at his home in La Quinta, California at
the age of 85. He was the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient of the
Guadalcanal campaign. He was buried with full military honors at the Riverside
National Cemetery in Riverside, California.
Through his life Paige
received numerous awards both as a member of the military and as a civilian. In
addition to receiving the Medal of Honor, he was also an Eagle Scout and had a
G.I. Joe action figure designed in his likeness.
Among his numerous
military decorations were: the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart, the
Presidential Unit Citation, the Good Conduct Medal, the China Service Medal, the
American Defense Service Medal with Base clasp, the American Campaign Medal,
the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two bronze stars, the World War II
Victory Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal,
the Marine Corps Reserve Ribbon, and the United Nations Service Medal.
Medal of Honor Citation
The
President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to
PLATOON
SERGEANT MITCHELL PAIGE
UNITED
STATES MARINE CORPS
for
service as set forth in the following CITATION:
For extraordinary
heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action above and beyond the call of duty
while serving with the Second Battalion, Seventh Marines, First Marine
Division, in combat against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands Area on
October 26, 1942. When the enemy broke through the line directly in front of
his position, Platoon Sergeant Paige, commanding a machine-gun section with
fearless determination, continued to direct the fire of his gunners until all
his men were either killed or wounded. Alone, against the deadly hail of
Japanese shells, he manned his gun, and when it was destroyed, took over
another, moving from gun to gun, never ceasing his withering fire against the
advancing hordes until reinforcements finally arrived. Then, forming a new
line, he dauntlessly and aggressively led a bayonet charge, driving the enemy
back and preventing a breakthrough in our lines. His great personal valor and
unyielding devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the
United States Naval Service.
/S/
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
In 1998, Paige served
as the model for a G.I. Joe action figure. His was the Marine Corps figure in a
series honoring Medal of Honor recipients from each branch of the U.S.
military.
A Golden Palm Star on
the Palm Springs Walk of Stars was dedicated to Paige in 1999, recognizing him
as one of five Medal of Honor recipients from the Southern California desert
area.
A museum at the
Twentynine Palms Marine Corps base is dedicated to him.
Paige was presented
with the Eagle Scout award by the Boy Scouts of America on March 24, 2003,
which he had earned in 1936, his last year in high school, but had never
received because he had left home to join the Marine Corps. (He is one of nine
known Eagle Scouts who have received the Medal of Honor.) Paige is also a
recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of
America.
On May 2, 2006, the
Desert Sands Unified School District honored Paige by naming its newest school
the Colonel Mitchell Paige Middle School. The school opened in the Fall of 2006
in La Quinta, California.
The Eldred World War II
Museum in Eldred, Pennsylvania, holds an exhibit dedicated to him, named
“Mitchell Paige Hall.” Paige donated his entire collection of military
memorabilia to the Eldred facility, including his Medal of Honor.
Nickname: Mitch
Born: August 31, 1918,
Charleroi, Pennsylvania
Died: November 15, 2003
(aged 85), La Quinta, California
Place of burial:
Riverside National Cemetery
Allegiance: United
States of America
Service/branch: United
States Marine Corps
Years of service:
1936–1959
Rank: Colonel
Unit: 2nd Battalion,
7th Marines
Battles/wars:
World War II
Battle of Guadalcanal
Cape Gloucester
Korean War
Awards:
Medal of Honor
Purple Heart
Presidential Unit Citation
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| 2nd Lt. Mitchell Paige accepts congratulations from Maj. Gen. A.A. Vandegrift of the 1st Marine Division, after receiving the Medal of Honor. |
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| 2nd Lt. Mitchell Paige accepts congratulations from Maj.Gen. A.A. Vandegrift of the 1st Marine Division, after receiving the Medal of Honor. |
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| Platoon Sergeant Mitchell Paige. Note Medal of Honor ribbon above ribbon bars. |
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| Pvt. Mitchell Paige. |
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| Sgt. Mitchell Page leads bayonet charge in final moments of battle on Guadalcanal. |
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| Mitchell Paige's grave site. |
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| The box for the G.I. Joe action figure designed in his likeness. |
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| The Mitchell Paige G.I. Joe figure. Note the small Medal of Honor with ribbon next to the figure’s left foot. |
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| The Mitchell Paige G.I. Joe figure with machine gun and wearing the small Medal of Honor with ribbon. |
