Who The F**k is Chesty?
The remarkable life of the most decorated Marine in history
(Originally published on 26 Jun 2024. Updated Jun 2025.)
There's a movie my brother and I watched on HBO as kids that I'm pretty sure had at least a little bit to do with why we both became Marines later in life.
The 1978 film "The Boys in Company C" follows a platoon of Marines from their first day of training at Recruit Depot San Diego, CA, in 1967, through their service in Vietnam.
(With the benefit of informed hindsight, I can now advise you that it was kind of a silly movie; about as true to the military world as "Stripes.")
Anyway, the scene that's relevant to what I'm going to write about takes place on the recruits' first night of basic training, when their Senior Drill Instructor leads them in what he refers to as "your Marine Corps prayers."
Once he's done with what passes for a "prayer" (a profanity-infused play on Psalm 23:4), he orders the recruits to mount their racks (Marine for bunks).
He then instructs them, "You will repeat after me: Gung-ho."
"Gung-ho," they reply.
"Louder!"
"Gung-ho!"
"Goodnight, Chesty, wherever you are."
"Goodnight, Chesty, wherever you are," they respond.
"Reveille at 0430. You varmints go to sleep," he says before turning out the lights and closing the door (hatch) behind him.
Once the DI is out of earshot, one of the recruits barks from his bed, "Who the f**k is Chesty?"
Lieutenant General Lewis "Chesty" B. Puller was a legendary Marine Corps leader and veteran of the Banana Wars in Haiti and Nicaragua. He commanded the Horse Marines in China, participated in four campaigns in World War II, and commanded an infantry regiment in Korea.
In the 21st century, when unaccompanied deployments are typically limited to a year, it's hard to fathom that, of the 37 years he served, both as an officer and an enlisted Marine, Puller was deployed for all but 10.
To this day, he is the most decorated Marine in history, having earned the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, two Legions of Merit, and five Navy Crosses (more than any other member of any service, ever).
Chesty Puller is a name that every Marine learns on his first day of recruit training or Officer Candidates School.
