The Legend of Chesty Puller
The Legend of Lewis “Chesty” Puller
By: SPC Fournier, Shawn
Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller was an officer in the United States Marine Corps with a career spanning thirty-seven years from 1918 – 1955. His career included three wars and ten distinct battles. Puller retired from a highly decorated career in the United States Marine Corps on November 1, 1955 due to failing health, but his legacy as one of the most decorated members of the Marine Corps with five Navy Crosses and one Distinguished Service Cross has lived on as the stuff of legends in the Marine Corps to this day.
Puller was born June 26th 1898 in West Point, Virginia to Matthew and Martha Puller. He grew up listening to veterans of the American Civil War recount tales of valor and battle as well as came to idolize Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. By 1916 Puller wanted to enlist in the United States Army to take part in the Punitive Expedition to capture Mexican leader Pancho Villa during the Border War with Mexico, however he was underage and his mother refused to grant him parental consent to join. The following year he attended the Virginia Military Institute but left in 1918 while the United States was still in the midst of World War I in order to reach the action instead of simply study it. He was inspired to enlist as a private in the Marine Corps due to the 5th Marines actions at the Battle of Belleau Woods.
Puller graduated from boot camp at the Marine Corps Recruitment Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina but unfortunately never was action in World War I as he had hoped. Following his graduation he attended the Non-Commissioned Officer School and Officer Candidates School at Quantico, Virginia. He graduated on June 16th 1919 and was appointed to the rank of second lieutenant in the reserves. However, a large reduction of force saw him placed on inactive status only ten days into his commission. Determined to not give up his dream of a military career
By: SPC Fournier, Shawn
Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller was an officer in the United States Marine Corps with a career spanning thirty-seven years from 1918 – 1955. His career included three wars and ten distinct battles. Puller retired from a highly decorated career in the United States Marine Corps on November 1, 1955 due to failing health, but his legacy as one of the most decorated members of the Marine Corps with five Navy Crosses and one Distinguished Service Cross has lived on as the stuff of legends in the Marine Corps to this day.
Puller was born June 26th 1898 in West Point, Virginia to Matthew and Martha Puller. He grew up listening to veterans of the American Civil War recount tales of valor and battle as well as came to idolize Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. By 1916 Puller wanted to enlist in the United States Army to take part in the Punitive Expedition to capture Mexican leader Pancho Villa during the Border War with Mexico, however he was underage and his mother refused to grant him parental consent to join. The following year he attended the Virginia Military Institute but left in 1918 while the United States was still in the midst of World War I in order to reach the action instead of simply study it. He was inspired to enlist as a private in the Marine Corps due to the 5th Marines actions at the Battle of Belleau Woods.
Puller graduated from boot camp at the Marine Corps Recruitment Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina but unfortunately never was action in World War I as he had hoped. Following his graduation he attended the Non-Commissioned Officer School and Officer Candidates School at Quantico, Virginia. He graduated on June 16th 1919 and was appointed to the rank of second lieutenant in the reserves. However, a large reduction of force saw him placed on inactive status only ten days into his commission. Determined to not give up his dream of a military career