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QUANTICO, Va. - The eight-foot bronze sculpture of the most-decorated Marine in history was dedicated Monday. More than 300 people gathered at the foot of the Semper Fidelis Memorial Park adjacent to the National Museum of the Marine Corps to see the unveiling of Lt. Gen. Burwell “Chesty” Puller, which was donated by the Marine Corps League.
Puller was a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War, and the only Marine to be awarded Navy Cross five times. Many marvel at Puller’s valor but Lt. Gen. Richard P. Mills, deputy commandant for Combat Development and Integration and keynote speaker said that’s not what makes him a legend among Marines.
“We expect bravery in combat; it comes with the uniform,” Mills said. “The real reason he’s cherished and idolized is because he’s one of the finest examples of leadership our Corps has ever known.”
Mills said his leadership came from a very simple idea: putting others first.
“Marines knew he would not ask them to do anything he wouldn’t do. He was always willing to do more than his share and he was always at the front where the risks were the highest,” which are traits that became the bedrocks of leadership training in the Corps, Mills said.
The meticulously chiseled rendering of Puller captures many of the general’s common characteristics such as his smoking pipe, .45-caliber sidearm, 1942 naval binoculars and USMC uniform lettering.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, as veterans, military families and spectators swarmed the bronze figure taking photos, his daughter, Martha stood off to the side, gazing up and reminiscing on her now immortalized father.
“He’s never without his pipe -- drove mom crazy because he would put it out on the fireplace and sparks would fly everywhere on our good oriental rugs,” she recalled.
But for Martha, the future is what’s most important.
“This is going to keep my father’s legacy alive but he’s pointing that way saying move on lets go, she said.”I love that about the statue.”
Martha wasn’t the only one who had a symbolic interpretation of his pose.
“He’s not pointing toward himself instead he’s pointing toward the museum and toward all the Marines represented in that museum,” said Mills. “He seems to be saying that’s where the credit belongs to, the modern Marines … to the individual Marines out there doing a tough job, the ones who accomplish the mission on every rank. That’s the kind of leader, man and Marine “Chesty” was.”
| Date Taken: | 11.05.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 12.02.2012 20:57 |
| Story ID: | 98630 |
| Location: | QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 83 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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