Thirty Chinese soldiers, taken by completely by surprise, bolted for the hills. One threw a grenade, and Wasson went down with fragments in his ear and arm. "Get back!" Page shouted to the wounded Marine: "Go back! That's an order! I'll cover you!"

Dazed, Wasson staggered back, stopping to watch as Page ran on. Their onslaught had broken the enemy's road block for precious minutes, just long enough for the Marines behind to take charge. In an hour they won control of Sudong-ni.

Late that night the column was moving again. Just beyond Sudong-ni, on a cold, lonely stretch of road heaped with enemy dead, they found the body of John Page. He had taken 16 Communists with him. John Page's only professional dream had been a chance to fight for his country. He got that chance finally, and when his 12 incredible days were finished, he died well, in front of his men, the way a combat officer should.

The Marines knelt beside the body in the road. Someone began to mutter a prayer. The others gasped in disbelief. "I've heard of these on-man armies," a Marine said finally. "But this Colonel Page -- I saw. He was a tank commander, a bombardier, an engineer, an artilleryman -- and what a foot soldier! The Medal-of-Honor was made for him!"

The Medal-of-Honor was awarded posthumously to Colonel Page April 25, 1957.