Chesty Puller coast redwood Titan
In memory of Gen. Lewis B. Puller - USMC - 1898 - 1971
by Mario Vaden
T he huge coast redwood below is on the fringe of the Grove of Titans in Jedediah Smith redwood park. Other coast redwoods in the grove were named by discoverers Taylor & Sillett for the 1998 day of discovery, but this one was not named at the time according to Taylor. With no name assigned, it was afterward called "Chesty Puller" in memory of the United States Marine Corps Gen. Lewis B. Puller. A false name Fusion Giant has been spread causing confusion, because the Grove of Titans has several giants with so-called stem fusions. The trunk of Chesty Puller is 25 feet wide from this view. Of redwoods in the grove, this is the one people often said was most outstanding when they shared about their time there. Due to exposure from park staff networking with news coverage, I added directions to this location from my page Grove of Titans.
Some people asked if this was Aragorn, but it's not. Aragorn is under 290 ft. whereas Chesty Puller redwood is near 320 ft.. According to Chris Atkin's measure, it's also taller than a redwood in the grove called Stalagmight. Chesty Puller redwood has a huge limb almost as thick as the huge branch on Kronos in Prairie Creek (described in Preston's 2007 redwood adventure book). Looking up from underneath Lost Monarch, I remember Steve Sillett estimating the limb at 6 feet thick. That's bigger than most trunks in parks and landscapes across the USA.
Before this redwood was named, it brought to mind someone in military service, whether standing in formation or saluting. But what would that name be?
Puller acquired his nickname "Chesty" on account of his build.
Accounts of Puller's service are outstanding, and among the grove this redwood is outstanding.
Nearby, this park has a gigantic memorial grove that is almost 5000 acres: nearly half the park. See WW II Memorial Grove. The other large grove is relatively unknown to most visitors, dedicated to men and women who served during WW II. Chesty Puller also served at that time.
General Puller was the most decorated US Marine in history, and the only one to receive 5 Navy Crosses. The story of his service is one that led me to a regret in life ..... not enlisting while it was available. On account of this, I was proudly surprised during 2010. Our son Michael told me and my wife that he was enlisting in the USMC.
April, 2011, he graduated at MCRD with Kilo Company. December 2012, Michael returned from Afghanistan, where he served in Charlie Company or "Suicide Charlie". The roots go back to Guadalcanal in WW II while General (then Lt. Col.) Puller was stationed on the island. Charlie Company, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, is the only company in the USMC that flies it's own flag, the Skull and Bones, in addition to the USMC Guidon flag. The image below shows a shirt with that theme on it.
The story goes back to October of 1942 at Guadalcanal. The Battalion, commanded by Lt. Col. Chesty Puller was assigned setting up a defensive perimeter around Henderson Field ... B Company was on the left ... A Company on the right with C Company in the middle. About 8:00 p.m., three Japanese regiments and a portion of a brigade breached the perimeter. C Company received the brunt of the attack. The next day, after the attack, the Marines were still holding their position. A flag was flying over Company C’s area bearing a skull and crossbones with the words “Suicide Charley” on a Japanese white, silk parachute.
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