Chesty: The Story of Lieutenant General Lewis B. Puller, USMC

by Jon T. Hoffman

Featured on the Commandant of the Marine Corps' Reading List and the Chief of Naval Operation's "Naval Power" Reading List

The Marine Corps is known for its heroes, and Lieutenant General Lewis B. Puller has long been considered the greatest of them all. His assignments and activities covered an extraordinary spectrum of warfare. Puller mastered small unit guerrilla warfare as a lieutenant in Haiti in the 1920s, and at the end of his career commanded a division in Korea. In between, he chased Sandino in Nicaragua and fought at Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester, and Peleliu.

With his bulldog face, barrel chest (which earned him the nickname Chesty), gruff voice, and common touch, Puller became--and has remained--the epitome of the Marine combat officer. At times Puller's actions have been called into question--at Peleliu, for instance, where, against a heavily fortified position, he lost more than half of his regiment. And then there is the saga of his son, who followed in Chesty's footsteps as a Marine officer only to suffer horrible wounds in Vietnam (his book, Fortunate Son, won the Pulitzer Prize).

Jon Hoffman has been given special access to Puller's personal papers as well as his personnel record. The result will unquestionably stand as the last word about Chesty Puller.

Genres: Biography, History, Military Fiction, Nonfiction, Military History, War, World War II

672 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

USMCR Lieutenant Colonel Jon T. Hoffman

Reviews

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

LtGen Louis B. "Chesty" Puller is a near mythical legend in the United States Marine Corps. Col. Hoffman attempts to equate the legend with the real man. Both positive and negative attributes are explored. There is an extensive bibliography including many official records. This biography of a military icon is well worth reading.

[Barry Sierer · Rating 3 out of 5]

While Hoffman does a sensible exploration of Puller’s battlefield decisions, I think he focused too much attention on quotes describing other people’s admiration for Puller. The best takeaway from this book was the background story of the near constant evolution of the US Marine Corps into its current structure to which Puller made a significant contribution to towards the end of his career.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Notes made while I was reading are below.

Thoroughly researched biography of LtGen Lewis B. Puller. The most remarkable chapters are those on Guadalcanal, Peliliu and the Chosin Reservoir. The author takes pains to separate the man from the legend. That said, the legend is real enough. Peleliu was a disaster. Puller who had sustained something like seven shrapnel wounds during previous fighting should not have been there, but being the Marine he was, he could not have been stopped from being there. Barely able to stand due to shrapnel embedded in his leg, he stayed at the front in a fight that should not have unfolded the way it did.

His direction of the withdrawal from Chosin was equally remarkable.

The book touches sources previously untouched. Puller is critical of both MacArthur and Truman and the lack of will to fight, let alone win in Korea. At times Puller is shameless in his pursuit of recognition for Marines and himself. But, as the author concludes "... as long as there is a Corps, Chesty Puller will continue to inspire Marines to look out for their subordinates, give their utmost, and lead from the front.

If you want to get a feel for what war and fighting are really like read this book. If you want to get a feel why the Marines are the finest fighting force in the world, read this book. If you want to understand the difference between generals who are politicians and generals who are leaders, read this book.

[Miles Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent biography of the most decorated Marine in the United States' history.

[Thor Toms · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about a marine, written by a marine, for marines. That said it had much less bias than I was expecting. While the author does not go into great detail, he does not ignore the controversy that sounds Chesty, it also helps to dispel some of the myths that surround him. It works hard to paint the USMC in a positive light, but does not have the typical chest thumping normally associated with this topic. Overall, a well written book about a great and legendary marine.

[Greg Holman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chesty was one brave marine. Very few officers are willing to be even close to the front lines. I learned many things from this book about Chesty. Not all of it was great, as any leader he had his flaws. Sad deal about his son.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and at times poignant biography of a fascinating man. It seemed fair about giving the facts of what happened, but was still a clearly favorable book.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of the few books I ever felt I needed to get a copy of as soon as it was published. All Marines are aware of the life and legend of Chesty Puller - former enlisted Marine who became the most decorated Marine ever, with five Navy Crosses (two or three of which should have been Medals of Honor). He was an inspired combat leader in Nicaragua during the banana wars, at Gualdalcanal, on Peleliu, and at the end of his career he led the First Marine Reginent ashore at Inchon in Korea, and then participated in what have been the Corps's finest hour, the fighting withdrawal from the Chosin Reservoir.

There's so much legend surrounding the life of Chesty Puller that the facts are often hard to discern, but Jon Hoffman does an outstanding job of going back through the record to determine what the facts really were. I was pleasantly surprised that, in some instances, the facts validate the legend, especially in his early fighting experiences. It's truly amazing that Puller was not killed in Nicaragua or in World War II. I was also interested to learn of how he really prepared himself during peacetime to be a combat leader. Chesty was known to be a reader but certainly not an intellectual. Hoffman does a great job of explaining the distinction and how it affected Puller's career. One interesting sidenote to that aspect of Puller's life is how many challenges he had to work thorugh just to become an officer in the first place, many of which were self-inflicted. The book does a good job of presenting the Marine Corps of the 1920's and 1930's in describing Puller's experiences during that time.

In the end, I was satisfied with how Hoffman addresses one of lingering questions that many Marines have about Puller's career...if Chesty Puller was the epitome of Marine leadership, why didn't he make Commandant? (For non-Marines reading this, Commandant is the title of the most senior officer in the Marine Corps - the head of the service who sits on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.) In a nutshell, it came down to Puller's rapidly declining health, his professional image among the eliet Washington general corps, and some measure of professional jealousy by less accomplished Marien generals. That last aspect is what Puller always blamed for his ending his career essentially as a two stat general, and this opinion is emphasized in the last pages of the Burke Davis book that was the only previous biography available on Puller. Hoffman does a good job of laying out the facts and feelings of those involved in the decision to retire Puller, as best as he can ascertain them.

One area where I liked to see more coverage is in the relationship of Puller to his son Lewis Jr after his retirement. Lewis Jr is probably better known to the general public than is his father, because he was horribly wounded in Viet Nam, came home and wrote a Pulitzer-Prize winning autobiography about his recovery and alcoholism, was elected a US Congressman from Virginia, was a major player in the fight to build the Viet Nam Memorial, and ended up committing suicide. For me, what stands out are the sharp contrasts between these two lives and their military experiences. I can't think of any other military leader in American history where the end result of their careers is so starkly different. And I have been able to help but conclude that perhaps the greatest combat leader in Marine Corps history should have better prepared his son for service as a junior infantry officer in the Marine Corps, just as Chesty prepared hmself for that life as a youngster, especially with the Viet Nam war on the horizon throughout most of Lewis Jr.'s childhood. Puller was rarely indlugent as a leader of infantrymen...he was known to be particularly hard on young officers. It's hard to conclude that he never would have anticipated the need for his son to serve in a future American war as Marine infantry officer, but apparently he never really prepared his boy for that role. Also, I would have liked to hear what Chesty really thought about the VA treatment his son received, which is depcted poorly in Fortunate Son (Lewis Jr's autobiography).

But overall, Hoffman does a very good job as the author of what may be the only scholarly biography we may ever have of Chesty Puller. Highly recommend to anyone with an interest in the history of the US Marine Corps.

[J.T. IV · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent biography of one of the heroes of the Marine Corps. LtCol Hoffman does a fantastic job of describing both the Marine Corps culture and General Puller’s development throughout peace and various wars during the early and mid-twentieth century. Though sometimes a controversial figure for his methods, General Puller was an integral part of many fights and this biography does an excellent job giving the facts and limiting the opinions or hearsay. If you are a Marine, know someone in the Marines, or just want to know more about the institution which prides itself on requiring the highest levels of character, integrity, honor, courage, and commitment, this is an excellent book to check out. I highly recommend it.

[Deborah Necessary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I probably would have never read this book if my son, Michael, had not had this man's picture on his Facebook wall. I asked him who that man was and as Michael is a veteran of the USMC, he said, "why Mom, that is Chesty Puller, one of the most decorated and best loved leaders in the Marines! He lead from the front, never asked his men to do anything he wouldn't do and they loved him for it." I have a book about him, if you would like to read it and I did! Boy, am I glad I did! The book was a hard read, it took you through two World Wars and Korea. At times I cried! War is hell! But if I had to go to war, I would want someone like Chesty Puller leading the way!

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent biography of one of the most important Marines of all time. A must read for every Marine and any student of military history. Semper Fi.

[Pat Dugan · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is only ONE Chesty Puller. He is my Marine role model!

[Sean McCullough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three things I liked:

1. The action from Haiti, Nicaragua, WWII-Peleliu, Pavavu, Guadalcanal, and Korea and the Chosin was well written with interesting sequences that always kept the reader interested as it interjected a good amount of thought and overall experience with more personal stories.

2. I like the idea of including so much of Puller's thoughts on different styles of leadership and how that led to his subordinates trusting in him (and also not). Such as was the case in WWII where he had to send his men repeatedly to attack up hills and such, some felt he was needlessly sending people to gunfire, whereas in Korea, his troops would have done anything for him and it even led to his leadership being questioned as he so genuinely looked out for his Marines.

3. I like the inclusion of his home life and how he treated his wife and kids. I have always been curious how warriors like Puller were at home. While everyone is different, it is refreshing to see that Puller was an honestly soft-hearted husband and father, at the same time as being a professional Marine 24/7.

Three things I did not like:

1. Quotes were at times so numerous and repeated in sequence that it felt like they were used as a clear filler to eat up pages. Sometimes four or five quotes would be used in one paragraph when only one quote would be needed to sum up the message.

2. At times, I would have liked to see more introduction of actual reports from the battles Puller fought in just to really get into some of the nitty-gritty of what was real and what was exaggerated.

3. I think some points were over brought-up, and at times the author injected too much bias to defend Puller. When things were in dispute, the author would bring up the opposing side, and the clearly state why he thought Chesty was more so in the right. Just keep it to what was real. I want to know where Puller was right and wrong.

4. I think the periods between wars were a bit dragged on, although they were important, they seemed to carry on for too long to make the book fit with the general format of 20-30 page chapters.

[Steve Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook version of this work.

Long before I joined the Marines I’d heard of legendary Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller. Puller served in the “Banana Wars” in Haiti and Nicaragua, World War II, and the Korean War and participated in some of the grueling and bloody battles the Corps has ever seen. Every Marine recruit is taught who Chesty Puller is.

Awarded the nations second highest award for valor six times (Navy Cross five times, and one Army Distinguished Service Cross), as well as the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and two Air Medals, Puller is one of the most highly decorated Marines in history. He was noted for his fearlessness and his eagerness for battle.

I rarely read books more than once, but the memoir titled “Marine” by Burke Davis that precedes this work by Hoffman is one I read three times before my 21st birthday.

Hoffman carefully and tactfully explains that Davis’s work has significant flaws, entertaining though it be, and provides in “Chesty” what appears to be a more carefully researched and nuanced analysis of Puller’s life and legend as the toughest and bravest Marine that ever lived.

My only criticism of the work is it’s repetitiveness, and Hoffman’s peppering of the work with what must have been over a dozen letters to his wife expressing his profound affection for her. I didn’t need to have these romantic and flowery attestations of love read to me…again and again and again.

That said, every literate Marine should read this. Every military history buff should as well.

[Brentman99 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say, wow!

I had read Marine! and other books that mentioned Chesty Puller over the years, but never a biography on the man, the myth and the legend.

The depth of research, the honesty and full accounting of the sources, consideration of the time and schools of thought - all of these were done incredibly well. In fact, I would say that this book would qualify as a Master’s thesis, maybe even a PhD thesis.

The good thing about this book is that it has a huge amount of references, extensive endnotes, and everything else you would expect in a scholarly work. The bad news is that there are many footnotes, references and information that the hardcore reader or amateur historian (like me) will want to read them all.

So while I can normally read a thicker book (629 pages cover to cover) in a couple of weeks, this one took over three weeks of my spare reading time. However, it was time well spent as I learned much about this larger than life leader.

All I have to say is that reading a book like this properly will require a time commitment that in today’s busy world, many may not be prepared to make. But if you are willing to spend the time and read all the notes as you go along, you will be rewarded for your time.

Colonel Hoffman’s work on a pillar of the US Marine Corps is masterful and well worth the time I spent reading it. Highly recommended if you like this subject.

[Bob Lundquist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lewis Puller was born with the instincts of a soldier. Someone who wanted to prove both his toughness and charity and was successful. Born in Virginia to a family of former Confederates with a chip on his shoulder, he attended a military school and wanted to get into the action with barely a high school education. However, he missed out on World War I. Rather than go back to school, he craved action and fought guerrilla wars in Central America in places such as Nicaragua and Haiti supporting the government. He joined the Marines and slowly climbed in rank and got married while unwittingly waiting for World War II. That is when he really took off with fighting the Japanese in Guadalcanal, Peleliu, and other remote Pacific islands. Then took off a few years until the Korean War where he participated in the Inchon landings and the Chosin Reservoir where the fighting was furious. He disdained higher education and staff work and believed a Marine was best trained with field exercises and battle. He was outspoken about his beliefs and probably suffered for it. Puller was also a good family man with three children.

This is a well-told biography of a man who could speak for himself and had no qualms about offending others. The writing is smooth, and the author keeps the narrative going even during times of rest and relaxation. It also explains the historical context of Puller’s life and actions. An excellent tale of the most decorated and out-spoken Marine.

[Daniel J · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would be a great book if Col. Hoffman would have left out his personal bias. He seems to reflect his personal bias continually through out the book, which detracts from the read. VERY DISAPPOINTING THAT HE FELT HE NEEDED TO INFUSE HIS PERSONAL OPINIONS TO AN EVENT HE DID NOT ATTEND! I come away from this read with the feeling that Col. Hoffman did not care for Chesty Puller.

He prefaces the read with the statement that it is more factual and less biased than "Marine", but I have to disagree with him. Marine, was I thought a great book.

Col. Hoffman seems to be critical of people and events without much basis. ie- He denigrates a Major Roberts on Guadalcanal apparently because he hadn't had much experience before the war but then Major Roberts dies leading his men in an assault in an attempt to support Chesty and the Marine Raiders.

[E.R. Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had never heard of the most decorated man in the history of the USMC, until I began dating a retired Marine Gunny. She loaned me her copy and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It is chock full of this five time Navy Cross winner’s exploits. A veteran of WWII and Korea, he embodied what it means to be a Marine. Wounded 3 times on Tarawa he refused to leave his command until the mission was complete. In Korea he was asked by an army officer under his command what his retreat strategy was. He immediately turned to his XO and said, “ If you see any of these army soldiers retreating, shoot them.” “That’s my retreat plan, Major.”
He was known for walking among his men and sharing expensive Scotch and cigars with them before a battle, and exemplified the Marine Corp ethos of brotherhood and leading from the front. Great book full of wonderful stories in the life of the man who is the Marine Corps.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lieutenant General Lewis B. Puller, the most famous of marines, has a legend of deeds and medals that have fascinated and inspired many. Starting his career in the small unit battles in Hait and Nicaragua, he battled across the Pacific and Korea.

Why I started this book: Another audio title from my professional list. Win, win.

Why I finished it: Good to learn of the man behind the legend... because the real man makes his career and heroism that much more impressive.

[Brian Thorson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true hero reviewed. This book covers his military career, personal life, inner thoughts and struggles through an examination of his successes, challenges, and occasional failures.

For me, seeing the humanity of a legend is instructive in my own leadership development. As his story is intertwined through multiple military campaigns, the reader cannot help but learn military history as well.

A great read!

[Loyalhistorian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book, 4.5 stars. Chesty Puller - what an amazing man and Marine! Very interesting life story. I think my favorite part was learning about his early years in the Corps in the "Banana Wars," as well as his time in China prior to World War II. I highly suggest the book. Hoffman does a very good job of being unbiased, staying truthful while upholding the dignity and memory of such a legend.

[Mike Outten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent researched story of Chesty Puller. The man was a war hero, full of fight, with a take no prisoner philosophy. The author wrote a worthy story about an amazing man. This novel read like a research paper. Good... but, not exciting. The Davis novel, "Marine", was more free flowing and gripped the reader. I highly recommend this book for military history enthusiasts.

[Rob Tesselaar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great biography of this USMC legend. The author does an excellent job of getting to the truth behind the mythology. This book provides lots of leadership lessons at all levels, but I particularly recommend it to those in the Infantry and combat arms. The importance of training for the hardships (physical and mental) of battle comes through in numerous examples.

[David M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the most well written bio, But for those who belong to the few, a detailed review of a Marineז’s Marine.

Personally, I was given this book as the boy of ten by my dad while living on P.I. It helped chrystslize my own sense of who I was,and why I felt different than my friends.

That may sound strange to most, but will ring true to those who heard the same call.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The audiobook version was very enjoyable. This in-depth account of Chesty’s life and service was well-written, thorough, and touching. His personality really came through the text by way of experts from his personal letters, famous quotes, and responses to circumstances in battle. I would recommend to anyone interested in the marine corps or any other branch of the military.

[Allison Foster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed how thoroughly this book was researched and presented. It truly portrayed what a significant man Chesty was. It was a tad bit self-serving but I'm not in the marine corps so I could just not enjoy the boasting of the specific branch as much.

[Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid read. Very interesting to break apart the man, the myth and the legend of Chesty Puller. It was particularly interesting to discover his struggle to stay in the corps, relevant and find his place as he got older and higher within the ranks.

[Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and seemingly accurate depiction of the real life of Chesty Puller. A must read for any Marine. The author creates a full image of Puller that leaves the reader seeing multiple sides to Puller in from beginning to end.

[Joshua Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly engaging and thoughtful book on a man whose myth is as large as any in American military. The book reads very easily, though a little familiarity with military and especially Marine/ Navy jargon will help.

[Dylan Gurl · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging and informative overview of Chesty Puller’s life, with plenty of stories that are gems unheard of. Does an excellent job of assessing him unvarnished, while you still can’t help but take away countless lessons on how to lead from the front.