Throughout Marine Corps history several men have become legends.
Most of these were recipients of the Medal of Honor or commandants of the Marine Corps. However
the name "Chesty" Puller stands alone and for good reason. How did a Marine who never received the
Medal of Honor become the most famous Marine in history? How did Lieutenant General Lewis B. Puller
earn five Navy Crosses and one Distinguished Service Cross among many other awards? How did
a man with a high school education, no college degree become a three-star Marine Corps General?
Hello I'm Colin Heaton former soldier Marine Corps scout sniper history professor historian and book
author and we will answer these questions and other issues on this segment of Forgotten History.
Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller was born on June 26 1898 at West Point Virginia the third of four
children born to Matthew Puller and Martha Richardson Lee. His family were one of the
first settlers from England in 1621 and he was a distant cousin to U.S Army General George S. Patton.
In 1908 his father Matthew died and in the families reduced circumstances Lewis Puller
was forced to aid in supporting his family at the age of 10. He continued on at school but earned
the money selling crabs at the local waterfront amusement park as well as working in a pulp mill.
Puller wanted to join the Army in 1916 and take part in the widely publicized Punitive Expedition
to capture Mexican leader Pancho Villa. However Puller was underage and his mother refused to
consent to his enlistment. When war was declared with Germany at the start of World War One Puller
was 17 and he accepted an appointment to Virginia Military Institute as a state cadet receiving
financial assistance in return for later service. He was by all accounts a mediocre
student and he went to the Summer Reserve officer training Corps Camp in New York during the summer.
Puller grew restless as he heard about the fighting in Europe and he was impressed with
the U.S Marines who had made headlines around the world after the reported exploits of the 5th and
6th Marine Regiments in Europe and especially the operations at Belleau Wood. Puller left VMI in
August 1918 and enlisted as a private in the U.S Marine Corps completing basic training at Parris
Island South Carolina. Puller received an appointment to Officer Candidate School based upon his two years
at VMI, the series commander's recommendation and his test scores. Passing through the course
at Quantico, Virginia he was commissioned as a reserve second lieutenant on June 16 1919. His
life was altered during the post-war reduction in force from 73,000 down to 1,100 officers and 27,
400 enlisted men following the war. He was put on inactive status 10 days later and given the rank
of corporal. Frustrated Puller rejoined the Marines on June 30th 1919 as an enlisted man with the rank
of corporal. Assigned to Haiti he served in the Gendarmerie d' Haiti which was under a treaty
between the U.S and Haiti. Pullar served as a brevet lieutenant and aided in combating Cacos Rebels
as one of the gendarmerie of American officers, largely Marines and Haitian enlisted personnel.
While in Haiti Puller served as adjutant to future commandant Major Alexander Vandegrift. Puller
received orders to deliver supplies to Mirebalais and Lascahobas. These two small towns were located
in a region where there was a significant presence of Coco guerillas under the command of Benoit
Batraville, who was a high-ranking Insurgent leader. This skirmish was Puller's first engagement
in the occupation and showed his adeptness at aggressive action and effective leadership from
the front. Puller and his force reached Mirebalais and delivered the supplies. The next day Puller made
a 34 hour round trip to Lascahobas to deliver the final supplies and then returned to Port-au-Prince.
Puller use the locals as intelligent sources and learning his enemy's methods decided to set up
nocturnal ambushes. A skirmish line towards their front and three Lewis guns on their
flank he attacked once he located a rebel camp. He successfully killed 17 rebels in a classic
nighttime L-shaped ambush. Puller served on more than 40 operations leading platoon-sized elements
basically writing the manual on night ambush tactics. His force killed over 200 insurgents
and captured dozens of weapons. As a result and with Vandergrifts support,, after returning to the
U.S in March 1924 he was successful in regaining a regular commission as a second lieutenant. Over
the next four years Puller had many assignments that took him to the east coast and to Pearl Harbor.
In December 1928 he received orders to join a detachment of the Nicaragua National Guard.
Puller spent the next two years battling the local bandits. For his efforts in mid-1930 he was awarded
the Navy Cross. Returning home in 1931 he completed the Company Officers course before returning to
Nicaragua. Puller remained there until October 1932 and he was awarded a second Navy Cross for his
performance against the insurgents in a pitched battle. He had more combat time between Haiti and
Nicaragua than any other company grade officer. In early 1933 puller joined the Marine Detachment at
the American Legation in Beijing, China. While there he led the famed Horse Marines before departing to
oversee the detachment aboard the cruiser USS Augusta. Fate would smile upon Puller as he came
to know the Augusta's commander Captain Chester W. Nimitz, the future admiral. That relationship would
benefit him later on. In 1936 Puller was made an instructor at the Basic School in Philadelphia and
denied a seat at U.S Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth,
Kansas because he did not have a bachelor's degree. After three years in the classroom
teaching infantry tactics he returned to the USS Augusta and he went ashore in 1940 with the 2nd
Battalion 4th Marines at Shanghai. On November 13th 1937 he married Virginia Montague Evans
whom he had met 10 years earlier. Together they had three children, Virginia McCandlish Puller
born in 1938 and twins Lewis Burwell Puller Jr and Martha Leigh Puller born in 1944. in August
1941 Major Puller left China to take command of the 1st Battalion 7th Marines at Camp Lejeune.
Then the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and the U.S entered World War II. In the
months that followed Puller prepared his men for war and the battalion sailed to defend
Samoa. Arriving in May 1942 his command remained in the islands through the summer until being
ordered to join Major General Vandegrift's 1st Marine Division during the Battle of Guadalcanal.
Coming ashore in September his men quickly went into action along the Matanikau River.
Coming under intense attack Puller earned a bronze star when he signaled the destroyer
USS Monson to aid in rescuing trapped American forces. in late October, Puller's
battalion played a key role in defending Henderson Field during the Battle of
Guadalcanal by holding back massive Japanese attacks and Puller received a third Navy Cross.
In a fire fight on the night of October 24th to 25th 1942 lasting about three hours
1st Battalion 7th Marines and the 3rd Battalion 164th Infantry Regiment of the Army
sustained 70 casualties. The Japanese lost over 1,400 killed and the Americans held the airfield.
Puller was wounded himself on November 8 1942 suffering arm and leg wounds during a
Japanese attack on his Command Post his injuries were serious requiring surgery
and command of 1/7 was temporarily assigned to Major John E. Weber of 3/7.
Puller was released from the hospital and resumed command of his battalion on November 18th.
One of his best Marines who secured the airfield, a former soldier Staff Sergeant John Basilone
received the Medal of Honor following Puller's personal recommendation. After the division left
Guadalcanal Lieutenant Colonel puller was made executive officer of the 7th Marine Regiment.
In this role he took part in the Battle of Cape Gloucester In late 1943 and early 1944.
Puller earned a fourth Navy Cross for his efforts in directing Marine units
and attacks against the Japanese. On February 1st 1944 Puller was
promoted to full colonel and later took command of the 1st Marine Regiment.
In September 1944 he was given command of the 1st Marines for the assault on Peleliu.
Given the toughest assignment to date to seize Umurbrogal Ridge, the heart of the enemy's heavily
fortified defensive positions. While successful in the attack Puller lost more than half his
men, bringing harsh criticism, much of it unjust or misplaced. He was considered effective but somewhat
ruthless in his attacks, his willingness to lead from the front softened much of that criticism.
Finishing the campaign Puller's men sailed for the Russell Islands in April before
preparing for the Battle of Peleliu. During the summer of 1944 Puller's younger brother Samuel
D. Puller, executive officer of the 4th Marine Regiment was killed by an enemy sniper on Guam.
With Peleliu secured Puller returned to the U.S. in November to lead the Infantry Training
Regiment at Camp Lejeune. He was in this role when the war ended in 1945. In the years after
World War II Puller oversaw a variety of commands including the 8th Reserve District and the
Marine Barracks at Pearl Harbor. With the outbreak of the Korean War Puller again took command of
the 1st Marine Regiment. Preparing his men he took part in General Douglas MacArthur's
landings at Inchon in September 1950. For his efforts during the landings Puller received the
Silver Star and a second Legion of Merit. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
from the U.S. Army for heroism in action from November 29 to December 4th and his fifth Navy
Cross for heroism during December 5th through 10th 1950 at the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir.
It was during that battle that he said the famous line quote, "We've been looking for
the enemy for some time now we finally found him. We're surrounded, that simplifies things," end quote.
Taking part in the advance into North Korea Puller played a key role in the Battle of Chosin
Reservoir in November and December performing brilliantly against overwhelming numbers.
Puller earned the Distinguished Service Cross from the U.S. Army and his fifth
Navy Coss for the same action in that battle. Promoted to brigadier general in January 1951
he briefly served as assistant commander of the 1st Marine Division before temporarily
taking command the following month after the transfer of Major General O.P. Smith.
He remained in this role until returning to the United States in May.
Briefly leading the 3rd Marine Brigade at Camp Pendleton Puller remained with the
unit when it became the 3rd Marine Division in January 1952. Promoted to major general in
September 1953 he was given command of the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune the following July.
As a result of his long service in tropical environments Puller was plagued by decaying health.
He had high blood pressure and relapsing malaria which gave him a rheumatic heart
and he was forced to retire on November 1st 1955.
One of the most decorated Marines in history Puller won the nation's second highest decorations six
times and received two Legions of Merit a Silver Star and a Bronze Star as well as the Purple Heart
Puller himself said he was uncertain how he came to be nicknamed "Chesty". It may have been a
reference to his big thrust out chest. Chesty in the Marines also means cocky. Despite not having
the traditional formal education required of commissioned officers let alone reaching field or
flag rank Chesty Puller's abilities and notoriety allowed him to excel regardless, receiving a final
promotion to lieutenant general. Puller retired to Virginia where he died after a series of strokes
on October 11 1971. His son Lewis B. Puller Jr lost both legs and parts of both hands to a mine
in Vietnam serving as a platoon leader, earning the Silver Star and a Purple Heart. He won the Pulitzer
Prize in 1992 for his autobiography "Fortunate Son the Healing of a Vietnam Vet." He committed
suicide in 1994. The USS Lewis B. Puller is the first purposely built expeditionary mobile base
vessel previously classified as a mobile landing platform, and then as an afloat forward staging
base for the United States Navy and the second ship to be named for the legendary Chesty Puller.
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