114 years ago today- A Marine...

[bruno]

on June 26 1898; A Marine Legend was born in West Point VA. LTG Chesty Puller - was one of the true icons of American Military History. A VMI man who left to join the Marine Corps as he didn't want to miss out. My opinion- the US could use a few more guys like Chesty Puller- in the Military for sure but in all walks of life. He did not stop to think about all of the reasons he couldn't accomplish the mission- instead- leading from the front , he drove his Marines to accomplish the impossible and had no time for those who didn't. The Marines like to talk about the Campaigns in the Pacific as the their everlasting symbols- but truthfully- I think that where they truly performed above and beyond was in Korea in 1950/51. The Army between WW2 and Korea had turned itself into a collection of badly trained "Garritroopers" and for the first year of the war performed abysmally, with the nadir coming during the retreat from North Korea. The Marines on the other hand demonstrated what hard training and good leadership really is capable of doing- it's probably not too strong to say that they saved Korea in the Naktong River lines around Pusan. More phenomenal- The retreat from the Chosin Reservoir - where Chesty Puller led the 1st Marines as part of the First Marine Division (under Maj Gen OP Smith another legend: "We're not retreating- we're just attacking in a different direction!") out thru 22 Chinese Divisions - is an epic battle.

"So they've got us surrounded, good! Now we can fire in any direction, those b*****ds won't get away this time!"

Happy Birthday Chesty Puller- from one Brother Rat to another with a sense of awe!

 

[flieger83]

We were taught at USAFA that "Chesty" had so many Navy Crosses because he "p*ssed off" so many senior folks..they would NEVER allow a recommendation for the Medal of Honor to go forward.

Don't know how true that is but he was held to US as an outstanding exemplar of leadership.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

 

[bruno]

Lew Puller was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for his 1991 autobiography, "Fortunate Son: The Healing of a Vietnam Vet." He killed himself at the age of 48. His wife still serves in the Virginia State Senate.She is a wonderful lady who still visits Marines who have been injuried in battle.

Puller was father-in-law to Colonel William H. Dabney, a VMI graduate, who, as a captain, was the commanding officer of two heavily reinforced rifle companies of the Third Battalion, Twenty-Sixth Marines from January 21 to April 14, 1968. During the entire period, Colonel Dabney's force stubbornly defended Hill 881S, a regional outpost vital to the defense of the Khe Sanh Combat Base during the 77-day siege. Following Khe Sanh, Dabney was nominated for the Navy Cross for his actions on Hill 881 South. But his battalion executive officer's helicopter carrying the nomination papers crashed—and the papers were lost. On April 15, 2005 Colonel William H. Dabney, USMC (Ret) was awarded the Navy Cross in a ceremony at Virginia Military Institute for actions 37 years earlier in Vietnam.

Col. Dabney passed away 15 February 2012.

TPG- you may be interested in this transcript of an interview with Col Dabney that is in the VMI archives. He was an interesting man in his own right: http://www.vmi.edu/uploadedFiles/Archives/Adams_Center/DabneyWH/DabneyWH_interview.pdf

"I met General Lewis B. Puller in the spring of 1957. I was a sergeant on active duty on leave after a Far East tour, and was near the end of my three year hitch. He had recently retired, lived near my home in Virginia, and was a friend of my father. We met at the funeral of a mutual cousin, to which I had worn my uniform because it was the only appropriate attire I had. Because the old church was too small for everyone, the ladies were inside, and the men were gathered around the grave site in quiet conversation.
He spotted the uniform and introduced himself in his gruff way, asking me about myself and what I had done in the Corps. I was flattered by his interest, which I later learned extended to all Marines. After the burial, he asked me to come to see him. When I called to follow up on his invitation he asked me for lunch, after which the two of us repaired to the porch with some Virginia bourbon.
My impressions of that afternoon remain vivid. He was reading when I arrived, and there were books scattered all over the house. As we talked, he was unfailingly patient with my ignorance. I was impressed (awed might be a better word) by the breadth and depth of his thinking about geopolitics and military history, and my respect for this aspect of the man deepened as I pursued my own studies at Virginia Military Institute (VMI), Marine Corps schools, and the National War College.
In effect, I knew the man before I knew the legend.
The legend, then, does not portray entirely the Marine I knew. He was much more than the medals and 'one liners' for which he is remembered today. I have long felt that to be the Corps' loss because the young men who strive to emulate him today cannot know him for what he really was. God knows we need our heroes. We should not let them be remembered only because they were brave and, as he often
described himself, lucky. "...

"Good night Chesty, wherever you are"

 

[rkrosnar]

114 years ago today....

Guys,

Just wonderful posts. And you all are to be commended, as well. You have made a sacrifice to defend freedom and liberty and there is a cost a very expensive cost. And sometimes you pay for it with your lives. Thanks, so very much.

God Bless to you all, RGK

 

[DevilDog]

We were taught at USAFA that "Chesty" had so many Navy Crosses because he "p*ssed off" so many senior folks..they would NEVER allow a recommendation for the Medal of Honor to go forward.

Don't know how true that is but he was held to US as an outstanding exemplar of leadership.

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

I have heard that too.

I joke with my son (C2C at USAFA) that they should have made Gen. Puller the Exemplar of their class. I always joke with him that he should get the new Doolies to vote for Chesty Puller to be their Exemplar. My son always shoots back, that he was not Air Force, I always retort that he was the greatest war leader this country ever had.

I guess you can say Chesty Puller is my hero if a man that is 52 years old can have a hero. I have been to his grave site to pay my respect, I have read books about him. The one thing all these kids at the academies should learn from General Puller was to treat the enlisted with respect, and that the NCO's know what they are talking about.

God Bless you Chesty Puller, Happy Birthday, and good night Chesty, wherever you are!