World War II Honoree

Lewis Burwell 'Chesty' Puller

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

West Point, Virginia

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

BECAME A CAREER MARINE FROM HIS ENLISTMENT AS A PRIVATE UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT AS A LIEUTENANT GENERAL. AS A MAJOR HE RETURNED TO THE U.S. ON AUGUST 28, 1941. AFTER A SHORT LEAVE, HE WAS GIVEN COMMAND OF 1ST BATTALION, 7TH MARINES (KNOWN AS 1/7) OF THE 1ST MARINE DIVISION, STATIONED AT NEW RIVER, NORTH CAROLINA. EARLY IN THE PACIFIC THEATER THE 7TH MARINES FORMED THE NUCLEUS OF THE NEWLY CREATED 3RD MARINE BRIGADE AND ARRIVED TO DEFEND SAMOA ON MAY 8, 1942. LATER THEY WERE RE-DEPLOYED FROM THE BRIGADE AND ON SEPTEMBER 4, 1942, THEY LEFT SAMOA AND REJOINED THE 1ST DIVISION AT GUADALCANAL ON SEPTEMBER 18, 1942. SOON AFTER ARRIVING ON GUADALCANAL, HE LED HIS BATTALION IN A FIERCE ACTION ALONG THE MATANIKAU, IN WHICH HIS QUICK THINKING SAVED THREE OF HIS COMPANIES FROM ANNIHILATION. IN THE ACTION, THESE COMPANIES WERE SURROUNDED AND CUT OFF BY A LARGER JAPANESE FORCE. HE RAN TO THE SHORE, SIGNALED A UNITED STATES NAVY DESTROYER, THE USS MONSSEN, AND THEN DIRECTED THE DESTROYER TO PROVIDE FIRE SUPPORT WHILE LANDING CRAFT RESCUED HIS MARINES FROM THEIR PRECARIOUS POSITION, ACTIONS THAT EARNED HIM A BRONZE STAR. LATER ON GUADALCANAL, HE EARNED HIS THIRD NAVY CROSS, IN THE BATTLE FOR HENDERSON FIELD, IN WHICH 1/7 WAS THE ONLY AMERICAN UNIT DEFENDING THE AIRFIELD AGAINST A REGIMENT-STRENGTH JAPANESE FORCE. IN A FIREFIGHT ON THE NIGHT OF OCTOBER 24-25, 1942, LASTING ABOUT THREE HOURS, 1/7 SUSTAINED 70 CASUALTIES AND THE BATTALION HELD THE AIRFIELD. WHILE ON GUADALCANAL, HE WAS SHOT BY A SNIPER TWICE AND WOUNDED BY SHRAPNEL IN THREE DIFFERENT PLACES, FOR WHICH HE WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART. WHEN THE JAPANESE PUT ANOTHER OFFENSIVE ACROSS THE MATANIKAU RIVER, THE JAPANESE FORCE WAS MUCH STRONGER, AND HE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MEN. HE WAS THEN MADE EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE 7TH MARINE REGIMENT. WHILE SERVING IN THIS CAPACITY AT CAPE GLOUCESTER, HE EARNED HIS FOURTH NAVY CROSS FOR OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF DUTY BETWEEN DECEMBER 26, 1943 AND JANUARY 19, 1944. DURING THIS TIME, WHEN THE BATTALION COMMANDERS OF 3RD BATTALION, 7TH MARINES AND, LATER, 3RD BATTALION, 5TH MARINES, WHILE UNDER HEAVY MACHINE GUN AND MORTAR FIRE, HE EXPERTLY REORGANIZED THE BATTALION AND LED THE SUCCESSFUL ATTACK AGAINST HEAVILY FORTIFIED JAPANESE DEFENSIVE POSITIONS. HE WAS PROMOTED TO COLONEL EFFECTIVE FEBRUARY 1, 1944, AND BY THE END OF THE MONTH HAD BEEN NAMED COMMANDER OF THE 1ST MARINE REGIMENT. HE WOULD LEAD THE 1ST MARINES INTO THE PROTRACTED BATTLE ON PELELIU, DURING SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 1944, ACTION WHERE HE EARNED HIS FIRST LEGION OF MERIT. HE RETURNED TO THE UNITED STATES IN NOVEMBER 1944, WAS NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE INFANTRY TRAINING REGIMENT AT CAMP LEJEUNE AND, TWO WEEKS LATER, COMMANDING OFFICER. HE WAS LATER DIRECTOR OF THE 8TH RESERVE DISTRICT AT NEW ORLEANS, AND ALSO COMMANDED THE MARINE BARRACKS AT PEARL HARBOR. HE RECEIVED THE NAVY CROSS, THE NAVY'S AND MARINES' SECOND HIGHEST DECORATION, FIVE TIMES. WITH FIVE NAVY CROSSES AND A DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS, THE ARMY'S SECOND HIGHEST DECORATION, HE RECEIVED THE NATION'S SECOND HIGHEST MILITARY DECORATION A TOTAL OF SIX TIMES. HIS OTHER AWARDS INCLUDE, THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS, SILVER STAR, LEGION OF MERIT WITH 1 AWARD STAR AND VALOR DEVICE, BRONZE STAR WITH VALOR DEVICE, PURPLE HEART, AIR MEDAL WITH 2 AWARD STARS, NAVY PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION WITH 5 SERVICE STARS, U.S. MARINE CORPS GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL WITH 1 SERVICE STAR, MARINE CORP EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL WITH 1 SERVICE STAR, AMERICAN DEFENSE MEDAL WITH BASE CLASP, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH 4 SERVICE STARS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, CHINA SERVICE MEDAL, ORDER OF MILITARY MERIT, EULJI CORDON MEDAL, CHINESE ORDER OF THE CLOUD AND BANNER, AND THE NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL. AMONG HIS OTHER HONORS IS THE FRIGATE USS LEWIS B. PULLER FFG-23 NAMED AFTER HIM.