Chesty Puller: The Most Decorated Marine in US History

Lewis "Chesty" Puller, who served in the US Marine Corps from 1918 until 1955, advanced from the rank of private to lieutenant general. He is recognized as the most decorated officer in USMC history, having received five Navy Crosses and one Distinguished Service Cross. Born in West Point, Virginia, in 1898, Puller left the Virginia Military Institute to join the Marines during World War I, although he did not engage in combat. His military experience included fighting the Caco insurgency in Haiti from 1919 to 1924 and battling Sandinista rebels in Nicaragua during the 1930s, where he earned two Navy Crosses. In World War II, he commanded the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines at Guadalcanal in 1942, withstanding a larger Japanese force. He later led the 1st Marine Regiment on Peleliu in 1944, where he faced heavy losses (over 1,700 out of 3,000 men) and received criticism for his aggressive tactics. During the Korean War, Puller commanded the 1st Marine Regiment at the Inchon landings and the Chosin Reservoir campaign, earning a Silver Star. Promoted to major general in 1953, he led the 2nd Marine Division until a stroke in 1955 forced him into retirement as a lieutenant general. Puller passed away on October 11, 1971, and is celebrated as a Marine Corps icon.