I'll Take the Marine

“They're on our right, they're on our left, they're in front of us, they're behind us; they can't get away from us this time.” -Chesty Puller

In the past couple years this internet meme has gone viral:

Think you have the winning combination? Pick whichever you want. I’ll even give you all nine of them. It would be futile against one Chesty Puller.

Lieutenant General Lewis "Chesty" Puller is the most decorated Marine of all time. The origin of his nickname "Chesty" remains disputed: some say it was merely a physical description, others claim it came from being shot in the chest during combat, while some believe it was because his commanding voice could be heard shouting orders from a mile away during gunfights.

When you look at Puller’s life, there's more fact than fiction. Today's quote came from the Battle of Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War. When Chinese forces surrounded them from every direction, Chesty welcomed the challenge.

You can have the bears, lions, and wolves. I'll take the Marine.