Subscribe
CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa - On June 26, 1898, a Marine Corps legend was born. Born just before the turn of the 19th century as Lewis Burwell Puller, the man would come to be known by warfighters the world over as Lieutenant General Lewis "Chesty" Puller.
From his desire in 1918 to fight in World War 1 by enlisting in the United States Marine Corps in, to leading Marines in fierce action in Guadalcanal as a lieutenant colonel in 1942, to rallying his embattled troops at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, Chesty's leadership serves as a paragon of fortitude and determination for the Marines that have followed. For these and other feats, Lt. Gen. Puller remains the most decorated Marine in history.
In 126 years, the inspiration has not lessened. But what lessons from Chesty are still guiding us today? One need not be a general to understand that the island-hopping campaigns of World War 2 fundamentally solidified the Marine Corps' function as an amphibious fighting force. Strategies such as Lt. Gen. Puller's will continue to inform today's actions, including the prioritization of deterrence and strengthened alliances in the Indo-Pacific by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Chesty Puller is quoted as having said that "the difference between success and failure in this life of ours is mostly hard work, so you must constantly work to try to improve yourself." This continues to define the nature of discipline and rigorous combat training for Marines in the 21st century. These principles of realistic combat training with the sole aim of defeating our nation's enemies in battle are reflected in the Commandant Planning Guidance issued by the 39th Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Eric Smith.
In this way, the ethos embodied by Marine Corps legends such as Chesty Puller has paved the way for the leaders and force design that guides us to this day. New legends spring from the shoulders of giants, and there is no more fertile ground for breeding greatness than in the title Marine. While Chesty left some very big boots to fill, it is impossible not to equate the mission of the individual Marine with the guarantee of lethality and excellence.
| Date Taken: | 07.07.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.09.2025 00:13 |
| Story ID: | 542267 |
| Location: | OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 19 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, History Feature: A Happy Birthday to Chesty, by 2LT Joshua Wolek, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
