2,000 Japanese Soldiers vs. One Marine With a Machine Gun | Mitchell Paige | MoH Recipient

**They Killed Everyone But Him. Then He Fought Back. | The Mitchell Paige Story | Medal of Honor** October 26, 1942. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. 0210 hours. Platoon Sergeant Mitchell Paige commanded 33 Marines and four machine guns on a ridge protecting Henderson Field. Then 2,000 Japanese soldiers attacked. Over the next three hours, every Marine in his platoon was killed or wounded. Three of his four machine guns were destroyed. Japanese soldiers overran positions on his left and his right. He was taking fire from three directions. Grenades exploded at his feet. He never stopped firing. When his assistant gunner was killed, he kept firing. When ammunition ran low, he crawled through darkness to retrieve belts from dead Marines. When his barrel overheated, he changed it in 35 seconds while enemy soldiers advanced to within five yards. When dawn came, he lifted his 56-pound machine gun from its tripod, carried it on his hip, and led a counterattack. 110 Japanese soldiers were counted dead in front of his position alone. In this video, we cover: - The strategic importance of Henderson Field and why Japan had to take it back - The terrain and conditions on Guadalcanal that made defense nearly impossible - A minute-by-minute breakdown of the three-hour firefight on October 26, 1942 - How Paige maintained fire while his entire crew was killed around him - The dawn counterattack that reestablished the Marine perimeter - What Japanese prisoners later said about attacking Paige's position Mitchell Paige was a coal miner's son from Pennsylvania who joined the Marines at 17. He earned the Medal of Honor at 24. He served for 28 more years and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. He died in 2003 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. This is his story, told with the precision and respect it deserves. --- --- **SOURCES** - Official Medal of Honor Citation - Marine Corps Historical Division Records - First Marine Division After Action Reports, Guadalcanal - Paige, Mitchell. *A Marine Named Mitch* (autobiography) - Frank, Richard B. *Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle* --- **ABOUT THIS SERIES** This channel tells the documented stories of Medal of Honor recipients—over 3,500 stories spanning more than 150 years of American military history. Each story is researched from primary sources and presented with accuracy and respect. If you have a connection to the Seventh Marine Regiment, Guadalcanal veterans, or the Solomon Islands campaign, share it in the comments. --- #MedalOfHonor #USMC #Marines #Guadalcanal #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #WWII #PacificWar #MarineCorps #MitchellPaige #HendersonField