In 1942, it came down to one Marine

Las Vegas Review-Journal ^ | 25 oct 09 | Vin Suprynowicz

[rellimpank]

It's hard to envision -- or, for the dwindling few, to remember -- what the world looked like on Oct. 26, 1942, when a few thousand U.S. Marines stood essentially stranded on the God-forsaken jungle island of Guadalcanal, placed like a speed bump at the end of the long blue-water slot between New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago, the most likely route for the Japanese Navy to take if they hoped to reach Australia.

On Guadalcanal, the Marines struggled to complete an airfield. Japanese Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto knew what that meant. No effort would be spared to dislodge these upstart Yanks. Before long, relentless Japanese counterattacks had driven supporting U.S. Navy vessels from inshore waters. The Marines were on their own.

As Platoon Sgt. Mitchell Paige and his 33 riflemen set about carefully placing their four water-cooled .30-caliber Brownings, manning their section of the thin khaki line that was expected to defend Henderson Field against the assault everyone expected on the night of Oct. 25, 1942, it's unlikely anyone thought they were about to provide the definitive answer to what had previously been a mainly theoretical question: How many able-bodied U.S. Marines does it take to hold a hill against a desperate attacking force of 2,000?

Nor did the commanders of the mighty Japanese Army, who had swept all before them for decades -- OK, they decided not to push Marshall Zhukov any further in Manchuria -- expect their advance to be halted on some God-forsaken jungle ridge manned by one thin line of Yanks in khaki in October 1942

[Iron Munro]

This country was built and held together by men of courage and honor like Paige, Basilone, Chesty and so many others who came before and after them.

Now we have communists, wimps, perverts, girly-men and traitors running the government, plundering the country and befriending our enemies.

These are sorry times.

[afraidfortherepublic]

OMG! Paige was a handsome man! I’m surprised that they didn’t try to make him a movie star!

[DuncanWaring]

Seemed to me it was.

I could be wrong.

[reagan_fanatic]

Beautiful story.

Every time I read something like this, I just want to jump up and shout about how proud and grateful we should all be that we had men like this to defend us.

[DuncanWaring]

The original column that this is an excerpt of:

One Marine, One Ship

Mitchell Paige - the last Marine, who stopped the Japanese army; USS Washington - the last battleship that stopped the Japanese navy.

[Osage Orange]

I don't remember that part....

Actually I have a hard time watching the end of that movie....

[afraidfortherepublic]

You should consider a tour of duty with the Marines. We have many who performed just like Sergent Paige.

Well, my former son-in-law (marriage annulled, TG) wasn't one of them. I still wonder about his discharge. He changed his name. Thankfully, there are real heros out there.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Here's to the Heros

[afraidfortherepublic]

See #88.

[rolling_stone]

My dad was US Navy voluntarily attached to the 1st Marines on Guadalcanal at the ripe old age of 18, He never talked about the War till the last few days of his life. When he finally did, I realized he had his reasons, war is hell. God Bless all our military and the job they did and are doing. I am almost glad he and Mom passed away a couple of years ago before they could see what our Nation is coming to. I hate to see their efforts betrayed.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Great post!

[ArrogantBustard]

Thank you ... The original column was, I think, much better.

BB-56 USS Washington

HIJMS Kirishima

[A.A. Cunningham]

Puller won another Navy Cross.

Correction: Puller earned another Navy Cross