SALUDA, Va. — About 75 Marine Corps Detachment Fort Gregg-Adams members honored the most-decorated Marine in U.S. history Oct. 20 with a formation run to his grave, a moment of silence and a toast to his memory at Christ Church cemetery.
Lt. Gen. Lewis "Chesty" Puller, who died Oct. 11, 1971, was a veteran of the Korean War, four World War II campaigns and expeditionary service in China, Nicaragua and Haiti.
“One of the things that separates the Marine Corps from every other warfighting organization along with our standards and discipline is our customs and courtesies,” said Lt. Col. William T. Messmer, commanding officer, Marine Detachment Fort Gregg-Adams. “We pay tribute to those who have gone before us.”
Puller was awarded a U.S. Army Distinguished Service Cross and five Navy Crosses, earning his first Navy Cross in Nicaragua for his leadership in engagements versus bandit forces.
“He really distinguished himself with his hard work and his tenacious fight in Nicaragua,” Messmer said. “That's where he first started getting called ‘Chesty’—started earning that nickname.”
Puller secured his final Navy Cross for heroism in the Chosin Reservoir Campaign of the Korean War.
“When every other service was running away, the United States Marines ran to the sound of gunfire, completely surrounded,” Messmer said to the Marines of his detachment in reference to Chosin Reservoir. “It was much more than just infantrymen. Combat arms, combat service support arms, a lot of your MOSs dropped their functional skill sets, whether they were mechanics, food service, engineers. They stopped what they were doing. They ran to the weapons systems. They picked them up and brought the fight to the enemy.”
Puller, who was often found out in front of his Marines for many of the fights he led, practiced the maxim of ‘leadership by example.’
This marks the 30th year of the memorial run for the Marine detachment, which is responsible for training entry-level enlisted Marines.
One Marine-in-training, Pvt. John Roman, a Chicago native, said the memorial run is a good opportunity for junior Marines because it provides a different perspective on history and service to one’s country.
“Most of the time when you come into the Marine Corps brand new, you expect it to be something bad because you’re not home,” Roman said. “But, once an event happens like this where you get to visit Chesty Puller’s grave, it opens up your eyes.”
Roman said that reflecting on Puller’s service makes him proud to be a Marine and helps him manage the difficulty of being away from home.
“It makes me feel powerful, like it’s my obligation to carry-on his legend and do things like he did,” Roman said.
At the cemetery, Reverend Doctor Robert W. “Bob” Prichard, Christ Church Priest Associate, joined the Marine students and cadre to provide a history of the Puller family’s involvement in the church and to lead a prayer.
Messmer and 1st Sgt. Nicholas Szczerba, acting Detachment senior enlisted advisor, then placed wreaths on the gravesites of Puller and his wife, Virginia Montague Evans, and led the singing of the Marines’ Hymn.
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