"We can't stay here," he decided finally. "Corporal, go get the jeep. I'll cover you and meet you where you turn back into the road." Klepsig started running, fast and low, thinking that Page meant to cover him with fire from behind the abutment. He jumped into the jeep and roared across the stream, trying to believe what he saw in front of him: there in the middle of the road, completely exposed at point-blank range, stood Colonel Page, spraying the Chinese position with carbine fire. He had forced the Reds' attention completely on himself, and had so startled them with his brazen action that they failed to fire back.

Stunned at Page's interpretation of covering fire, Klepsig nearly ran over him in his frenzied dash to pick him up. With Page in the jeep, he pushed the accelerator to the floor and careened down the ice-covered road out of enemy range. He kept the jeep at top speed until Page shouted, "Slow down, corporal! Do you want to get us killed?"

Under the cover of darkness they made their way to Koto-ri. There in the morning, Page stopped to check out at Puller's command post. News was given to him: Koto-ri was surrounded by Chinese troops and stood a good chance of being obliterated.

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