Chesty Puller - Relations

Relations

Puller's son Lewis Burwell Puller, Jr. (generally known as Lewis Puller) became a highly decorated Marine as a lieutenant in Vietnam. While serving with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines Lewis Jr. was severely wounded by a mine explosion, losing both legs and parts of his hands. Lieutenant General Puller broke down sobbing at seeing his son for the first time in the hospital.

Puller was father-in-law to Colonel William H. Dabney, a VMI graduate, who, as a captain, was the commanding officer of two heavily reinforced rifle companies of the Third Battalion, Twenty-Sixth Marines from January 21 to April 14, 1968. During the entire period, Colonel Dabney's force stubbornly defended Hill 881S, a regional outpost vital to the defense of the Khe Sanh Combat Base during the 77-day siege. Following Khe Sanh, Dabney was nominated for the Navy Cross for his actions on Hill 881 South. But his battalion executive officer's helicopter carrying the nomination papers crashed—and the papers were lost. On April 15, 2005 Colonel William H. Dabney, USMC (Ret) was awarded the Navy Cross in a ceremony at Virginia Military Institute for actions 37 years earlier in Vietnam.

Puller was a distant cousin to Army General George S. Patton.