Who was Chesty Puller?

He was Lewis 'Chesty' Puller (1898 to 1971), a US Marine Corps lieutenant general and one of the most decorated Marines in history.

Why is Chesty Puller so famous?

For his five Navy Crosses, his courage across three eras of fighting, and his devotion to his men, which made him a legend of the Marine Corps.

What wars did Chesty Puller fight in?

The Banana Wars in Haiti and Nicaragua, the Pacific campaigns of the Second World War, and the Korean War.

How many Navy Crosses did Puller win?

Five, the most of any Marine, along with many other decorations.

Was Puller at the Chosin Reservoir?

Yes. He commanded a Marine regiment during the 1950 battle and the celebrated breakout to the coast.

Chesty Puller: the Marine of five Navy Crosses

No Marine is more legendary than Lewis 'Chesty' Puller. Over a career that spanned the jungles of Central America, the island battles of the Pacific, and the frozen breakout from Chosin, he won five Navy Crosses¹ and a reputation for sharing every danger with his men, becoming one of the most decorated Marines in the history of the Corps².

From the Banana Wars to the Pacific

Born in Virginia in 1898¹, Puller joined the Marines and made his name in the small, hard campaigns of the Banana Wars in Haiti and Nicaragua, where he first won the Navy Cross³. In the Second World War he led Marines through brutal Pacific fighting, including Guadalcanal and later Peleliu, adding to his decorations and his legend.

Black and white group photograph of Puller with a row of Nicaraguan soldiers in front of a tiled building — First Lieutenant Lewis B. Puller with men of the Guardia Nacional, the Nicaraguan force that US Marines trained and led during the Banana Wars. US Marine Corps photograph. Public domain

Chosin Reservoir

In the Korean War, Puller commanded a Marine regiment at the² Chosin Reservoir in 1950, when his men were among those surrounded by a massive Chinese force in sub-zero cold. His leadership in the fighting breakout to the sea became part of Marine Corps lore, and earned him another decoration³.

The Marine's Marine

Blunt, fearless and devoted to the ordinary rifleman⁴, Puller retired as a lieutenant general and died in 1971¹. With five Navy Crosses and a host of other awards, he remains one of the most decorated Marines in history and an enduring symbol of the Corps's fighting spirit, still invoked in its traditions today.

Black and white photograph of Puller in a hat and long coat facing a group of helmeted Marines — The retired Puller, in hat and overcoat, talks with young Marines at the 20th anniversary of the 2nd Marine Division in 1961. Official USMC photograph. USMC Archives, CC BY 2.0

Sources and notes

Numbered notes in the text point to the works below.

Naval History and Heritage Command, Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, “Lewis B. Puller I (FFG-23)” ↩ a b c d
Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Lewis B. Puller” ↩ a b
Jon T. Hoffman, Chesty: The Story of Lieutenant General Lewis B. Puller, USMC (Random House, 2001). ↩ a b
Burke Davis, Marine! The Life of Chesty Puller (Little, Brown and Company, 1962). ↩
Wikipedia, “Chesty Puller”

Chesty Puller: the Marine of five Navy Crosses

At a glance

From the Banana Wars to the Pacific

Chosin Reservoir

The Marine's Marine

Sources and notes

Frequently asked questions

Lead the Marines out of Chosin