Lewis Burwell Puller (1898 - 1971)

Born 26 Jun 1898 in West Point, King William County, Virginia, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Virginia Montague (Evans) Puller — married [date unknown] in Middlesex County, Virginia

Died 11 Oct 1971 at age 73 in Hampton, Virginia, USA [uncertain]

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Biography

Lewis Puller is Notable.

Lewis Puller was awarded the Navy Cross.

"Chesty", as he was known, earned 56 decorations in his lengthy Marine Corp career that spanned almost four decades, including commanding the First Marine Division in World War II and Korea. He was the only Marine ever to receive five Navy Crosses, the nation's second highest recognition for bravery.

He joined the Marines in 1918 and spent his early years fighting bandits in Nicaragua, where he earned his first Navy Cross and his first Gold Star (in lieu of a second Navy Cross.) He also served in China prior to World War II. He earned two more Navy Crosses in World War II, for his actions in Guadalcanal and Cape Gloucester, and received the Legion of Merit for his actions during the capture of Peleliu.

He earned his fifth Navy Cross in Inchon, Korea. He also earned a Silver Star, a Distinguished Service Cross and a second Legion of Merit.^[1] in the same conflict.

He married Virginia Montague Evans in 1937 in Christchurch, Virginia.^[2] They had one son and one daughter together.

He is perhaps best know for his memorable quotes.^[3] some of which are quite pithy.

“Retreat! We’re just attacking in a different direction.”

“We’ve been looking for the enemy for some time now. We’ve finally found him. We’re surrounded. That simplifies the problem.”

“Son, when the Marine Corps wants you to have a wife, you will be issued one.”

He passed away in 1971 at the VA Hospital in Hampton, Virginia.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Award Citiations (Click on the list of rewards on the right to view each individual citation.)
2. ↑ "Virginia, Marriage Certificates, 1936-1988," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9F-1Y89 : 20 February 2021), Lewis Burwell Puller and Virginia Montague Evans, 13 Nov 1937; from "Virginia, Marriage Records, 1700-1850," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2012); citing , Christ Church, Virginia, United States, certificate 27871, Virginia Department of Health, Richmond.
3. ↑ 20 Best Chesty Puller Quotes Of All Time.
4. ↑ Ancestry.com. Virginia, Death Records, 1912-2014 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: Virginia, Deaths, 1912–2014. Virginia Department of Health, Richmond, Virginia.

• Chesty Puller: The Marine's Marine | Full Documentary | Biography. online: Biograpy channel, YouTube. ~42:49 minutes. (accessed 13 March 2023) note: his children were interviewed, and comment throughout
• "United States Census, 1900", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMNB-V5B : 11 March 2022), L B Puller in entry for M M Puller, 1900.
• "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPPS-6QD : accessed 9 March 2023), Lewis B Puller in household of Pattie Leigh Puller, West Point, King William, Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 48, sheet 5A, family 92, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1633; FHL microfilm 1,375,646.
• "United States Muster Rolls of the Marine Corps, 1798-1937", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29J-NYKW : 10 March 2021), Lewis B Puller, 1918.
• "United States Muster Rolls of the Marine Corps, 1798-1937", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q29J-NR4T : 10 March 2021), Lewis B Puller, 1918.
• "United States Muster Rolls of the Marine Corps, 1798-1937", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q296-G5Y6 : 10 March 2021), Lewis B Puller, 1928.
• "United States 1950 Census", database, FamilySearch (ark:/61903/1:1:6FN3-52YX : Sun Jan 29 20:03:42 UTC 2023), Entry for Lewis B. Puller and Virginia E. Puller, 10 April 1950.
• "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JR8S-CJ6 : 8 January 2021), Lewis Puller, Oct 1971; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
• "Virginia, Death Certificates, 1912-1987," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVRC-F2M3 : 16 August 2019), Lewis B Puller, 11 Oct 1971; from "Virginia, Marriage Records, 1700-1850," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2012); citing Hampton, , Virginia, United States, entry #, Virginia Department of Health, Richmond.
• "United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2011", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q53J-3CCZ : 18 July 2020), Lt Gen Lewis B Or Chesty Puller, 1971.
• "United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2011", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP18-JPD4 : 18 July 2020), Gen Lewis B Or Chesty Puller, 1971.
• "United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2011", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q57V-39WZ : 18 July 2020), Lt Gen Lewis B Chesty Puller, 1971.
• Hickman, Kennedy. World War II and Korean War: Lieutenant General Lewis "Chesty" Puller online: ThoughtCo. last updated 3 July 2019. (accessed 13 March 2023).

See also:

• Chesty Puller on Wikipedia
• Wikidata: Item Q1386011, en:Wikipedia
• Find A Grave: Memorial #4055 Gen Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller
• http://www.nettally.com/jrube/chestpul.htm