Marine God Puller: October 2010

Saturday, October 30, 2010

General "Chesty" Puller Open House

The former home of Lieutenant General Lewis

B. "Chesty" Puller will be open to the public

on November 10, 2010 from noon to 5:00 pm.

Help us to honor the memory of General

Puller, those who have served this Country

and the active military who continue to

protect us.

The Marine Corps Detachment at Fort Lee, VA

will run the 17th Annual Lewis B. Puller

Memorial Relay on November 10th.

The runners are scheduled to pass by General

Puller's home at approximately 1330 (1:30

pm) as they head towards his grave site

located at Christchurch onRt. 33 outside of

Saluda, Virginia.

Each year, the Marines hold a wreath-laying

ceremony at his grave site. A prayer is given

by the commanding officer, everyone signs

the Marines' Hymn and a toast is given to

General Puller. Upon completion of the

ceremony, the Marines are invited to view

General Puller's home in Saluda.

Please join the Marines at General Puller's

house for this special event.

For more information please call

Sharon Sharp at (804) 577-3075

Wednesday,
November 10, 2010
Noon to 5:00
Open to the Public
732 Gloucester Road
Saluda, Virginia

Monday, October 18, 2010

Chesty Puller's 2nd Navy Cross Citation

NAVY CROSS (1st Gold Star)
Rank and Service: First Lieutenant , U.S. Marine Corps (03158)
Organization: Attached to the Nicaraguan National Guard
Conflict: Second Nicaraguan Campaign
Date of Action: 20 September to 1 October 1932
Place of Action: Nicaragua
Authorized by: The Navy Department Board of Decorations and Medals

Citation: First Lieutenant Lewis B. Puller, United States Marine Corps (Captain, Guardia Nacional de Nicaragua) performed exceptionally meritorious service in a duty of great responsibility while in command of a Guardia Patrol from 20 September to 1 October 1932 . Lieutenant Puller and his command of forty Guardia and Gunnery Sergeant William A. Lee, United States Marine Corps, serving as a First Lieutenant in the Guardia, penetrated the isolated mountainous bandit territory for a distance of from eighty to one hundred miles north of Jinotega, his nearest base. This patrol was ambushed on 26 September 1932, at a point northeast of Mount Kilambe by an insurgent force of one hundred fifty in a well-prepared position armed with not less than seven automatic weapons and various classes of small arms and well-supplied with ammunition. Early in the combat, Gunnery Sergeant Lee, the Second in Command was seriously wounded and reported as dead. The Guardia immediately behind Lieutenant Puller in the point was killed by the first burst of fire, Lieutenant Puller, with great courage, coolness and display of military judgment, so directed the fire and movement of his men that the enemy were driven first from the high ground on the right of his position, and then by a flanking movement forced from the high ground to the left and finally were scattered in confusion with a loss of ten killed and many wounded by the persistent and well-directed attack of the patrol. The numerous casualties suffered by the enemy and the Guardia losses of two killed and four wounded are indicative of the severity of the enemy resistance. This signal victory in jungle country, with no lines of communication and a hundred miles from any supporting force, was largely due to the indomitable courage and persistence of the patrol commander. Returning with the wounded to Jinotega , the patrol was ambushed twice by superior forces on 30 September. On both of the occasions the enemy was dispersed with severe losses.