Chesty Puller

In the winter of 1950, thousands of Marines were surrounded by enemy forces in the snowy mountains of North Korea. Temperatures dropped well below zero, making it difficult for the soldiers to even move. Colonel Chesty Puller kept his troops together and led them on a difficult march toward safety.

Lewis Burwell Puller was born in Virginia in 1898. He joined the Marines in 1918 and spent decades in small wars across the Caribbean before commanding troops in World War II and Korea.

By late November 1950, the 1st Marine Division had pushed far into North Korea near the Chosin Reservoir. Unknown to them, huge Chinese forces were moving in to surround the Marines in the freezing mountains.

On 27 November 1950, Chinese units attacked from all sides in temperatures of -30 degrees. Puller's 1st Marines held the road south. Over two weeks they fought a moving battle, breaking through the ring and guiding thousands of Marines and refugees to safety at Hungnam.

When told the Marines were surrounded, Puller reportedly said they now had the enemy right where they wanted - in every direction. His calm kept the column moving through ambush after ambush.

Most of the 1st Marine Division survived the breakout. The evacuation at Hungnam rescued about 98,000 soldiers and 91,000 civilians. Puller received his fifth Navy Cross for the action.

Puller was promoted to Lieutenant General and retired in 1955. He remained a legend in the Marine Corps until his death in 1971.

The Chosin breakout saved one of America's best combat divisions from destruction and showed how leadership under impossible conditions can turn a trap into an escape. Puller's Marines called themselves the 'Frozen Chosin Few'.

1. US Marine Corps History Division
2. National Archives, Korean War records
3. Montross, The Inchon-Seoul Operation