The Most Decorated Marine In the U.S. History: His Life, His Legacy

His Nickname

Puller was given the nickname, “Chesty,” because he was always very stern and his posture was always disciplined. Puller’s image was portrayed by the men whom he led in such a way that they claimed his chest had been replaced due to the fact that some bandits slashed it off during battle. This allegedly happened during the Banana Wars, leaving him to get a steel chest.

Rumors And Claims

There are some men who also claimed that his chest was a result of the incessant commanding and shouting he had to execute while leading his troops. “We don’t need no frontline communications,” these men have claimed, “Chesty yells commands up and down the line. You can hear him for miles.” By the time the Banana Wars ended, Puller slowly raised his rank in the U.S. military.

Indomitable Courage

By the time the year 1931 came, Puller went back to America to join the 12-month Company Officers Course at Fort Benning located in Georgia. However, Puller did find himself back in the land of Nicaragua by the end of the year for a very short period of time. So what made him go back to the place where he left a huge impact? Read on for the answer…

2 Prolific Medals

For the soldier who had gained notoriety for possessing a barrel chest, he only needed a week and a few days to get his second Navy Cross. He had led another troop to attain victory against the rebel Sandinistas. Puller’s time in Central America was finally over, leaving the region with 2 prolific medals. His adventure was just getting started though…

The China Marines

Puller’s time in Central America was finally done and not it was time for a new chapter in his military career. So now what was in store for Chesty Puller? He had moved on after receiving a posting all the way to the east side of the world in China. His unit was called the China Marines and who better than Puller to lead it? Their duty was to guard the American diplomatic service in Beijing.

Shanghai Days

In the following years, Puller’s service been required in East Asia, also joining the USS Augusta and also back in Philadelphia to train some troops. However, Puller had to get back to Shanghai, China where he was appointed as the executive officer. There, in the Chinese coastal city, Puller and the unit he led would be faced with one of the most chaotic battles ever…