Next, the romantic sonnets of Chesty Puller!

Posted By Thomas E. Ricks Tuesday, January 19, 2010 - 4:59 PM Share

The Marines are running a lecture series on AfPak cultural issues in the coming months at Quantico. First up, on Jan. 20, is a University of Pennsylvania prof on "Social and Political Dissent in Pashtu Poetry: The Case of Malang Jan."

Like Triumph the Insult Comic Dog would say, I kid. But I applaud the Marines for doing this.

United States Marine Corps

EXPLORE:SOUTH ASIA, AFGHANISTAN, MILITARY, PAKISTAN

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TYRTAIOS

8:36 PM ET

January 19, 2010

A Gentler Gentleman

It's ok Chesty, they're only creating a kinder and gentler officer corps to be more sensitive toward the operational relevant aspects of the Afghan culture and maybe even get into the insurgents mindset a tad bit – they still make them like they used to.

A teaser question for Tom or anyone: Lewis Puller's highest grade on active duty was that of a Major General, as indicated by the picture. How it he was retired a Lieutenant General? : )

The winner gets a raincheck for a free lunch at Bob's Cosmic Dog outside Charleston.

TYRTAIOS

11:24 PM ET

January 19, 2010

Close Don

Ok Don, you were close, because it would come as the result of a heavy recommendation.

Chesty was given a tombstone promotion, in keeping with a Naval tradition for line officers who were specifically commended for their performance of duty in actual combat.

They would be placed upon the retired list with the rank of the next higher grade and with three-fourths of the active-duty pay of the grade in which serving at the time of retirement - which wasn't much in those days.

Here is the menue: www.jackscosmicdogs.com/menu.asp : )

PHIL RIDDERHOF

1:38 PM ET

January 20, 2010

Marine Poetry

My father went through The Basic School at Quantico VA in the summer of 1950. The Commanding Officer was Col. David Shoup (later Commandant) who had been awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Tarawa in 1943. My father recounted that Shoup would gather the new Marine officers together and read the poetry he had written. The only line my father could remember was "The worms will feed tonight..."