U.S. Marine Corps Quote of the Day by Lewis “Chesty” Puller: ‘Pain is weakness leaving the body’

“Pain is weakness leaving the body.” – Lewis “Chesty” Puller

Lewis “Chesty” Puller was one of the most decorated Marines in all of American history.

Having enlisted right at the end of the First World War, Puller saw combat around the world in some of the harshest conditions known to man.

However, despite the carnage and brutality, he demonstrated exceptional courage and tirelessly sought to preserve the lives of those who fought under him. He was renowned for his quick thinking and leadership skills, which helped to avoid many potential disasters during the War in the Pacific and the Korean War.

Early Life and Military Career

Lewis Burwell Puller Jr. was born on June 26, 1898, in the town of West Point, Virginia, a modest town situated along the York River. Puller grew up listening to stories from Veterans of the American Civil War.

He idolized figures like Stonewall Jackson and developed a keen interest in joining the Army from a young age. His father died when Lewis was only ten years old, an event that profoundly shaped the rest of his life. As a result, Puller was raised primarily by his mother, Martha Puller. In 1916, Puller tried to join the U.S. Army to fight in the  Mexican-American Border War, but he was too young to enlist, and his mother would not give her consent.

In 1917, Puller attended the Virginia Military Institute but left when the U.S. joined the First World War, hoping to get a piece of the action. He decided to join the Marine Corps instead of the Army, and then attended Officer Candidate School at Quantico, Virginia. Upon graduation, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the reserves.

His hopes of seeing combat during WWI were dashed in 1918, when the war in Europe ended. The postwar demobilization cut short many military careers, Puller’s included. His commission was terminated during a force reduction, leaving him at a crossroads early in his adult life. Rather than pursuing a civilian career, Puller remained committed to a military career. He reenlisted in the Marine Corps to remain on active duty.

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