Posted on 08/29/2003 4:51:38 AM PDT by gunnyg
Puller Park will get new memorial stone; fund established to pay for it
by Larry S. Chowning
A new stone honoring Lt. General Lewis B. (Chesty) Puller will be placed at the Lewis Puller Memorial Park in Saluda, and it won’t include the term “soldier” in describing the most decorated U.S. Marine in history.
The park was dedicated last year and is sponsored by the Middlesex County Museum. It is located across the street from the museum on Business Route 17 in Saluda.
The words across the bottom of the current stone that honors LtGen Puller reads: “Patriot,” “Proud American,” “Soldier.” The use of the word “soldier” on the stone is inaccurate, contend many Marines, and many have called for the word to be removed.
In a nationwide effort, Marines have emailed Middlesex County and museum officials and the editor of the Southside Sentinel calling for the word “soldier” to be taken off the stone. Many have offered to help pay for a new stone.
The Marines point out that the U.S. Marines are a branch of the U.S. Navy and “soldier” is a word usually associated with the U.S. Army. Also, the Marines contend, a soldier is someone who carries a gun on his shoulder and is an enlisted man.
Marine (Ret.) Bob Means of Urbanna has led the effort to have the stone replaced. Means said he met with Middlesex County Museum president Mavis Mangum last week and they agreed the Marines would purchase a new stone to replace the one currently at the park. Means said he has already ordered the new stone, which will have the word “Soldier” replaced with “Marine.”
The new stone will cost $1,466, all of which will be paid through donations, said Means.
“It will be absolutely no cost to the museum,” Means emphasized. “We want everyone to know that the Marines across the nation appreciate what the museum has done to create a beautiful park to honor the greatest Marine of all time.”
Mangum had earlier noted that before the current stone was installed at the park last year she had members of the Third Marine Division in Northern Virginia approve the verbiage. She also said Puller’s daughters and their husbands, both Marines, also approved the words on the stone. However, she said it would not be a problem from the museum’s standpoint to have the word removed.
The Marines have set up a fund to pay for the stone. Means said any Marine or anyone else wishing to contribute can do so my sending a check to: Lt. Gen. Lewis B. Puller Detachment, Marine Corp League No. 890, 3043 Rivermont Drive, Front Royal, VA 22630. Make the check payable to Lt. Gen. Lewis B. Puller Detachment and mention that the funds are for the Puller memorial stone, he said.
Means said he believes more funds will be collected than will be needed to pay for the stone. The extra funds will be used to enable families to visit Marines who are hospitalized due to serious injuries suffered in Operation Iraqi Freedom, he said. “These young men are still far from home and away from their family members, who do not have enough money to come and visit. We are going to use the extra money to enable these families to visit. I think Chesty Puller would want that.”
Means also noted some excess funds may be donated to Toys for Tots.
Now—5 years later—I still sees it the same way.
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