Why 'Chesty' Still Inspires the Marines...

By
• AMANDA FOREMAN

The Korean War rarely gets a mention these days. Sandwiched between the epic struggle of World War II and the moral carnage of Vietnam, the conflict has suffered by comparison. It is all the more reason why the 60th anniversary of the Korean Armistice should not pass us by this week without a few moments of reflection.

 

The 2½-mile-wide demilitarized zone that separates North and South Korea was officially established on July 27, 1953. To some, the DMZ's existence is another reason not to dwell on the war. But to others, it is an emblem of the hard-won peace that has since endured—a peace that was achieved with the help of men like Lt. Gen. Lewis "Chesty" Puller, the most highly decorated Marine in U.S. history.

Puller, who died in 1971, may be little known outside of the Marine Corps. But his name lives on among the men and women who serve. At any Marine base around the world, the close of day is often greeted with the cry, "Goodnight, Chesty Puller, wherever you are."

Puller was in his early 50s when the Korean War began and already a legend in the Corps. He was old-style, the kind of soldier who insisted on leading his men from the front. In November 1950, Chesty was given command of the 1st Marine Division and dispatched to a remote area in North Korea known as the Chosin Reservoir. Not exactly. The author apparently doesn't know that "First Marines" means First Marine REGIMENT, not DIVISION. COLONEL Puller commanded the First Marines in Nov. 1950. He didn't take over the First Marine Division as Acting Division Commander until 1951, after he was promoted to Brigadier General. (correction by gmac)

As related in Jon T. Hoffman's "Chesty," the Marines barely had time to set up base camp when the massive Chinese People's Liberation Army attacked their position. The embedded journalists immediately confronted Chesty, demanding to know his plan. Calmly he replied: "We've been looking for the enemy for several days now. We've finally found them. We're surrounded. That simplifies our problem of finding these people and killing them."

His bravado wasn't simply for show. Chesty always stationed himself wherever the fighting was at its fiercest. At Chosin, the heat of action was around the base perimeter. When a frightened major dared to ask about the line of retreat, Chesty radioed the base's artillery commander and ordered him to fire on any soldier who abandoned his position; then he turned back to the unfortunate officer and said, "That answer your question? There will be no withdrawal."

The "Chesty effect" on the division was palpable. A battalion commander recalled: "Puller gave us pride in some way I can't describe. All of us had heard hundreds of stories about him. He kept building up our morale higher and higher, just by being there."

On Dec. 6, 1950, Chesty was ordered to break out of Chosin Reservoir and open an escape route to Hungnam port. The 80,000-strong PLA was no longer the only enemy confronting the Marines. By now the temperature had dropped to 25 degrees below zero. Fighting every step of the way, Chesty succeeded in not just bringing out the wounded and the dead but also every vehicle and piece of equipment worth saving. Behind him, spread out for miles, lay the broken remnants of seven Chinese divisions.

(emphasis by gmac)

In his inimitable way, Chesty refused to call the retreat a defeat, let alone a retreat. As the general waited to board his ship, he ordered reporters to "Remember, whatever you write, this was no retreat. All that happened was we found more Chinese behind us than in front of us. So we about-faced and attacked." The Navy rewarded Chesty for Chosin Reservoir with his fifth Navy Cross.

With a resurgent North Korea under Kim Jong Un once again threatening to destabilize the region, it is worth remembering that weapons are important but leaders like Lewis "Chesty" Puller are priceless.

A version of this article appeared July 27, 2013, on page C12 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: Why 'Chesty' Still Inspires the Marines.

(This article just scratches the surface. For a more complete review of Chesty's life, see numerous books and historical accounts, including Wikipedia.)

Military decorations and awards

Puller received the Navy Cross, the Navy and Marine Corps second highest military award, five times (the second and only other person to be so honored, after Navy submarine commander Roy Milton Davenport). Puller received the second highest U.S. military award six times; five Navy Crosses and a U.S. Army Distinguished Service Cross.

In addition, Puller received the Silver Star Medal; the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" and Gold Star in lieu of a second award; the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V;" the Air Medal with Gold Stars in lieu of second and third awards; and the Purple Heart Medal. His other medals and decorations include the Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon with four bronze stars; the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal with one bronze star; the World War I Victory Medal with West Indies clasp; the Haitian Campaign Medal; the Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal; the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal with one bronze star; the China Service Medal; the American Defense Service Medal with Base clasp; the American Area Campaign Medal; the Asiatic-Pacific Area Campaign Medal with four bronze stars; the World War II Victory Medal; the National Defense Service Medal; the Korean Service Medal with one silver star in lieu of five bronze stars; the United Nations Service Medal; the Haitian Medaille Militaire; the Nicaraguan Presidential Medal of Merit with Diploma; the Nicaraguan Cross of Valor with Diploma; the Republic of Korea's Ulchi Medal with Gold Star; and the Korean Presidential Unit Citation with Oak Leaf Cluster.

Puller's only Purple Heart was earned at Guadalcanal on the night of November 9, 1942 – the night before the Marine Corps Birthday. Puller had campaign participation credit ("battle stars") for Capture and Defense of Guadalcanal, Eastern New Guinea Operations, Cape Gloucester New Britain, and Capture and Occupation of the Southern Palau Islands (Peleliu). His Korean campaign battle stars include North Korean Aggression, Inchon Landing, Communist China Aggression (Chosin Reservoir), First UN Counteroffensive and Communist China Spring Offensive.