Mitchell Paige (Mihajlo Pejić) (August 31, 1918 – November 15, 2003) was an American retired United States Marine Corps colonel who received the nation's highest military decoration for valor in combat, the Medal of Honor, during World War II.

Paige enlisted in the Marine Corps on September 1, 1936, at Baltimore, Maryland, and completed his boot camp training at Parris Island, South Carolina.

He served in China from October 1938 to September 1939 and during his tour he guarded American property during the famous Tientsin flood.

In September, 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, Paige was transferred back to the United States and ordered to New River, North Carolina, to help construct and prepare a new Marine Corps training base, which later became Camp Lejeune.

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December, he was sent again overseas with the 7th Marines and landed at Apia, British Samoa.

On October 26, he earned the nation's highest decoration for valor, the Medal of Honor, during the campaign for Guadalcanal, specifically the Battle for Henderson Field, when he made a desperate stand against Japanese troops after they had broken through the lines and killed or wounded all of the other Marines in his machine gun section.

The Marine Corps’ World War II Commandant, General Alexander A. Vandegrift, presented the Medal of Honor to Second Lieutenant Paige in Melbourne.

In July, First Lieutenant Paige was sent back to the United States and assigned duty at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

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.

On November 1, 1959, Paige was placed on the Marine Corps Disability Retired List and promoted to colonel for being specially commended for performance of duty in actual combat.

[6] On November 15, 2003, Paige died of congestive heart failure at his home in La Quinta, California at the age of 85.

Paige's military decorations and awards include the following: The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to for service as set forth in the following

His great personal valor and unyielding devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.