These three legendary Marines set an example to every Marine machine gunner

Marine machine gunners are a cultish group. We are immensely proud of our MOS within the infantry and relish in carrying the big guns. Machine gunners love their history. As a Marine machine gunner, you’re expected to shout and yell every time Basilone makes an appearance in a movie about the Pacific.

With that in mind, I wanted to share with you the Holy Trinity of Marine machine gunners. These three men are who every machine gunner looks up to and aspires to be. They formed the basis of the Marine Corps’ machine gun culture and earned a spot in the 0331 hall of fame.

John Basilone

Sgt. John Basilone (1916-1945) in Manville, New Jersey. (U.S. Marine Corps)

Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone is the most well-known of the Holy Trinity. Basilone served in both the Army and Marine Corps, but as a Marine during World War II, he entered the realm of legend. He served as a machine gun section leader and fought at Guadalcanal.

There, Basilone was in of the 7th Marine Regiment under the legendary Chesty Puller. Basilone found himself neck deep in the action during the Battle for Henderson Field. The 1st Battalion of the 7th Marine Regiment was hit hard by 3,000 Japanese soldiers. John Basilone led two machine gun sections against wave after wave of attacks by the Sendai Division, which attacked with small arms, machine guns, grenades, and mortars.

For the next two days, Basilone fought like a demon against the Japanese forces. The Marines kept their guns running night and day. Eventually, his sections were reduced to himself and two Marines. Even when it was down to just the three of them, he took the fight to the enemy. He moved an entire extra gun into position, and when one broke down, he personally repaired it and manned it until relief arrived.

However, John Basilone didn’t stop exerting himself just because he received some reinforcements. When ammo was critically low and the supply lines were cut off, he charged his way through hostile enemy lines and was able to retrieve ammo and bring it back keeping the guns fed to continue pushing back the Japanese forces. The next day, his guns ran out of ammo but he kept fighting with his pistol and machete.

For his actions, he received the Medal of Honor. After a tour selling war bonds, he requested to go back to combat. Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone committed the ultimate sacrifice on the first day of the Invasion of Iwo Jima, where he died leading his machine gun section.

Related: Is ‘The Pacific’ better than ‘Band of Brothers’?

Mitchell Paige

Captain Mitchell Paige (U.S. Marine Corps)

Mitchell Paige started his Marine Corps career as an enlisted man and, much like John Basilone, was a leader of machine gunners. He served as a platoon sergeant of a machine gun platoon and was at Guadalcanal fighting in the Battle for Henderson Field. There, Platoon Sergeant Paige found himself under heavy attack from the Japanese army.

Japanese troops had broken through Marine lines and had cut off Paige’s platoon. In short order, his entire platoon was either killed or wounded in action. Paige personally manned a machine gun until it was destroyed. The Japanese probably thought they had overcome the Marines, but Mitchell Paige still had a say.

With the gun he was manning destroyed, he started alternating between three other machine guns. This proved to be a great decision as it allowed the guns to cool down and prevented damage to their barrels. It also helped make Paige a moving target, and likely made the Japanese think that they were fighting a platoon rather than one man. And throughout, he managed to maintain a high rate of fire.

Paige continued to swap guns and shower the enemy with withering fire. Piles of dead Japanese were evidence of his ferocity. He held the line until reinforcements arrived. Rather than take a break and get chow, Paige organized a bayonet charge into the Japanese which drove them back and helped keep them from gaining forward momentum.

Paige survived the war, received a commission, and retired as a colonel. He died in 20023 in his home at the age of 85.

Edward B. Cole

1st Lieutenant Edward B. Cole, United States Marine Corps. Cole reached the rank of Major during World War I; died of wounds received in the Battle of Belleau Wood. (History and Lore of the 6th Machine Gun Battalion/U.S. Marine Corps)

Major Edward B. Cole served as an expert on machine guns for the Marine Corps and wrote a book on machine guns. His book, The Field Book for Machine Gunners, still contains wisdom modern machine gunners employ.

Edward Cole received a direct commission in World War I and fought in the Battle of Belleau Wood which is where Marines reportedly earned the nickname Devil Dogs due to their ferocity.

Edward Cole wasn’t behind a machine gun when he entered the annals of Marine machine gunners. Instead, he was leading an attack against a German machine gun team. His expertise in the weapons’ operation made him the prime candidate to destroy them.

The Germans chucked grenades at Cole’s men. He was hit by one, but he shrugged it off and carried on. A second grenade landed near his men, but Cole quickly retrieved it and threw it back to the Germans. As he threw the grenade, it exploded, wounding him, but saving his men. The German machine guns were dead, and Cole was evacuated to a field hospital.

He died eight days later, with his brother, Brigadier General Charles H. Cole, at his side. It took two grenades to stop Cole and another week for him to submit to his wounds. In his wake, he silenced German machine guns and was able to save his men. For his efforts, he received the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Service Cross.

Modern machine gunners stand on the shoulders of giants. Men who served and fought for their country and fellow Marines valiantly and with dedication. The Holy Trinity of Marine machine hunners set an example for all of us to live up to as machine gunners, Marines, and Americans.

Feature Image: John Basilone (first from right) and Mitchell Paige (second from right) along with Merritt Edson (third from right) and Alexander Vandegrift (fourth from right) on 21 May 1943 during the presentation of their Medal of Honor. (Marine Corps Archives)

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