Talk:Lewis Burwell Puller Jr.

	Biography portal This article is within the scope of WikiProject Biography, a collaborative effort to create, develop and organize Wikipedia's articles about people. All interested editors are invited to join the project and contribute to the discussion. For instructions on how to use this banner, please refer to the documentation.BiographyWikipedia:WikiProject BiographyTemplate:WikiProject Biographybiography articles
Start	This article has been given a rating which conflicts with the project-independent quality rating in the banner shell. Please resolve this conflict if possible.
	This article is supported by the military biography work group (assessed as Low-importance).

Military history: Biography / Asian / North America / Southeast Asia / United States

This article is within the scope of the Military history WikiProject. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the project and see a list of open tasks. To use this banner, please see the full instructions.Military historyWikipedia:WikiProject Military historyTemplate:WikiProject Military historymilitary history articles

This article has been checked against the following criteria for B-class status:
Referencing and citation: criterion not met Coverage and accuracy: criterion met Structure: criterion met Grammar and style: criterion met Supporting materials: criterion met

Associated task forces:
/
	Military biography task force
	Asian military history task force
	North American military history task force
	Southeast Asian military history task force
	United States military history task force

United States: North Carolina Low‑importance

	United States portal This article is within the scope of WikiProject United States, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of topics relating to the United States of America on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the ongoing discussions. Template Usage Articles Requested! Become a Member Project Talk Alerts United StatesWikipedia:WikiProject United StatesTemplate:WikiProject United StatesUnited States articles
Low	This article has been rated as Low-importance on the project's importance scale.
	North Carolina portal This article is supported by WikiProject North Carolina (assessed as Mid-importance).

Virginia

	Virginia portal This article is within the scope of WikiProject Virginia, a collaborative effort to improve the coverage of the U.S. state of Virginia on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, please visit the project page, where you can join the discussion and see a list of open tasks.VirginiaWikipedia:WikiProject VirginiaTemplate:WikiProject VirginiaVirginia articles
???	This article has not yet received a rating on the project's importance scale.

To be clarified[edit]

I've moved this from the article, as it doesn't connect properly as written:

In a final act of giving, Puller became an organ donor, Supervisor Gerald W. Hyland, at the Mount Vernon District. "Yesterday morning, I sat in the waiting room at Washington Hospital Center transplant section," he said. "I saw a sign that read 'In death, there is life. Donate organs.' Lewis Puller donated his organs and was successful in having that occur."

"He was a terribly intelligent person whose pain, apparently, he could not endure any longer," Hyland said. "It's so sad that the conflict in Vietnam has taken another victim. Although Lew Puller has died, he has truly left his mark on America."

Tyrenius 05:01, 22 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Recommended[edit]

History is dis-served by overlooking the membership of Lew Puller Jr. on the Presidential Clemency Board of Gerald Ford - for which Wikipedia presently has no page. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.188.29.213 (talk) 20:59, 6 May 2008 (UTC)[reply]

He was too hard on himself[edit]

I saw an interview with Puller Jr. shortly before his death in which he displayed despondency and lack of self-esteem based on his contention that in the incident in which he was wounded, his first in combat, he "ran" shortly after deplaning from his chopper when his unit immediately came under unexpected fire. First of all, this is an entirely unremarkeable thing to happen to green troops which does not reflect cowardice or desertion under fire. Moreover, there is such a thing as tactical retreat that is sometimes necessary in dealing with unexpected fire and other tough situations. Had Puller emerged from this incident unharmed ready to fight another day, it would have been merely a learning experience that would have faded into his memory. Unfortunately, as someone who had lost multiple limbs that was not possible. It is tragic that Puller, influenced by the giant legacy of his father, had to disrespect himself so unfairly. For example, if one is in the woods, even if armed, and is suddenly charged by a grizzly, one may be justified in retreating to a better position as both a survival and hunting strategy, this being consistent with Marine Corp doctrine that in the defensive mode the mission of the rifle squad is to evade and repulse the enemy's attack by "fire and manuever". Tom Cod (talk) 20:58, 7 July 2008 (UTC)[reply]