Chesty Puller, Lt. General, USMC

Zounds! Buna, Rabaul, Pelelieu, must be a “must see” today. The jungle has probably covered all the evidence! When you get a chance, go to the library and get the latest book on Lt. General Lewis Puller, named “Chesty”. It also could be gotten on e-bay for a song. Just to read that chapter on the unecessary campaign in the Palaus, culminating with the bloody senseless battle for Pelelieu and the WWII swan song for the great and unique Puller. The blood-letting was incredible and Puller who suffered a thigh wound on the battlefield, and was carried from the action, was excoriated for his frontal assaults. But blame Nimitz for insisting on the invasion to cover the eastern flank of the Phillipines. A case of too little too late. MacArthur warned the joint chiefs and FDR about the Palaus, but Nimitz insisted on it as a tradeoff for MacArthur's re-taking the Phillipines, over their crazy choice of Formosa! Of course Puller won his 5th Navy Cross at the Chosin Reservoir and his great reputation was resurrected. By the way, an earlier more romantic biograpy on Puller, called “Marine” was written by Burke Davis, I believe!

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