Editing Chesty Puller (section)

{{short description|United States Marine Corps general (1898–1971)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[Lieutenant General (United States)|Lieutenant General]]
| name          = Lewis Burwell Puller
| image         = Chesty-puller.jpg
| image_size    = 
| alt           = 
| caption       = Puller in 1950
| nickname      = "Chesty"
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|1898|6|26}}
| birth_place   = [[West Point, Virginia]], U.S.
| death_date    = {{Death date and age|1971|10|11|1898|6|26}}
| death_place   = [[Hampton, Virginia]], U.S.
| placeofburial = Christ Church Cemetery<br/>[[Christchurch, Virginia]], U.S.
| allegiance    = United States
| branch        = [[United States Marine Corps]]
| serviceyears  = 1918–1955
| rank          = [[Lieutenant general (United States)|Lieutenant General]]
| unit          = [[1st Marine Division (United States)|1st Marine Division]]
| commands      = [[2nd Marine Division (United States)|2nd Marine Division]]<br/>[[3rd Marine Division (United States)|3rd Marine Division]]<br/>[[1st Marine Regiment (United States)|1st Marines]]<br/>[[1st Battalion, 7th Marines]]<br/>[[2nd Battalion, 4th Marines]]
| battles       = {{hidden
|See list
|{{tree list}}
* [[Banana Wars]]
** [[United States occupation of Haiti|Occupation of Haiti]]
** [[United States occupation of Nicaragua|Occupation of Nicaragua]]
*** [[Battle of Agua Carta]]
*** [[Battle of El Sauce]]
* [[World War II]]
** [[Guadalcanal campaign]]
*** [[Action along the Matanikau (September 1942)|Actions along the Matanikau]]
**** [[Battle for Henderson Field]]
** [[Operation Cartwheel]]
*** [[New Britain campaign]]
**** [[Battle of Cape Gloucester]]
** [[Mariana and Palau Islands campaign]]
*** [[Battle of Peleliu]]
* [[Korean War]]
** [[Battle of Inchon]]
** [[Second Battle of Seoul]]
** [[Battle of Chosin Reservoir]]
{{tree list/end}}
|-
|headerstyle=background:#dbdbdb
|style=text-align:center;
}}
| awards        = [[Navy Cross]] (5)<br/>[[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]]<br/>[[Silver Star]]<br/>[[Legion of Merit]] w/ [["V" Device]] (2)<br/>[[Bronze Star Medal]] w/ "V" Device<br/>[[Air Medal]] (3)<br/>[[Purple Heart]]
| spouse        = Virginia Montague Evans
| children      = 2, including [[Lewis Burwell Puller Jr.]]
}}
'''Lewis Burwell''' "'''Chesty'''" '''Puller''' (June 26, 1898 – October 11, 1971) was a [[United States Marine Corps]] officer. Beginning his career fighting [[Guerrilla warfare|guerillas]] in [[Haiti]] and [[Nicaragua]] as part of the [[Banana Wars]], he later served with distinction in [[World War II]] and the [[Korean War]] as a senior officer. By the time of his retirement in 1955, he had reached the rank of [[Lieutenant general (United States)|lieutenant general]].

Puller is the most decorated Marine in American history.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/10/12/archives/cert-chesty-puller-diesi-most-decoralted-marine-commissioned-at-20.html | title=Gen. Chesty Puller Dies; Most Decorated Marine | work=The New York Times | date=October 12, 1971 }}</ref> He was awarded five [[Navy Cross]]es and one [[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]]. With six crosses, Puller is second behind [[Eddie Rickenbacker]] for citations of the nation's second-highest military award for valor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=766|title=Valor awards for Edward Vernon Rickenbacker|website=valor.militarytimes.com|access-date=July 29, 2017}}</ref> Puller retired from the Marine Corps in 1955, after 37 years of service. He lived in [[Virginia]] and died in 1971 at age 73.