Statue of Marine Corps Legend "Chesty" Puller to be installed in Semper Fidelis Memorial Park
STATUE OF MARINE CORPS LEGEND “CHESTY” PULLER TO BE INSTALLED IN SEMPER FIDELIS MEMORIAL PARK
Massive crane to lift 8-foot, bronze sculpture in of intricate installation process
Dumfries, Va. (October 16, 2012) – The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation is pleased to announce that a statue of Marine Corps icon Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller will be installed in Semper Fidelis Memorial Park, adjacent to the National Museum of the Marine Corps on Tuesday, October 23 at 12 noon. The official dedication for the ceremony will take place Monday, November 12. Media are invited to cover both events.
The installation process will be no small feat. The eight metric ton sculpture’s journey begins at a foundry in Chester, Pa., where it was made. It will be braced to a flatbed truck, transported to Quantico, Va. and readied for installation. Engineers will require a crane with a lift capacity of 235 metric tons and a 144-foot reach (i.e. one huge crane) to carry the statue to its final position on the Museum overlook.
The Marine Corps League donated the eight-foot bronze sculpture of Lt. Gen. Puller to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. Lt. Gen. Puller is the most decorated Marine in history and the only Marine to be awarded five Navy Crosses. A veteran of both World War II and the Korean War, Lt. Gen. Puller’s reputation as the consummate Marine endures today.
Artist and Marine, Terry Jones of Jones Sculpture, Inc., crafted the sculpture. Jones is renowned for his life-size bronzes of famous personalities, such as John Philip Sousa, on display at the U.S. Marine Corps Barracks in Washington, D.C. His meticulously researched rendering of Lt. Gen. Puller captures the general’s characteristic smoking pipe, .45-caliber sidearm, 1942 naval binoculars and “USMC” uniform lettering.
Media interested in covering the statue’s installation are asked to RSVP to Victoria Shapiro, 202-414-0774 or vshapiro@susandavis.com by Friday, October 19. Marine Corps Heritage Foundation President and CEO Lt. Gen. Robert R. Blackman; Marine Corps League National Executive Director Michael Blum; and artist Terry Jones will be available on-site for interviews.
Details concerning the November 12 dedication will be issued closer to the time of the ceremony.
WHAT: Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller Statue installation
WHEN: Tuesday, October 23rd
- Press are encouraged to arrive by 11:15 am
- Lift time is 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
RSVP: Media should RSVP to Victoria Shapiro at 202-414-0774 or vshapiro@susandavis.com by Friday, October 19.
*Victoria’s day of contact number is 216-712-1926
WHERE: National Museum of the Marine Corps
18900 Jefferson Davis Highway
Triangle, Virginia 22172
*There will be space for media to observe the installation from the Molly Marine or Iron Mike statues, to the right of the Puller Overlook.
Member Oorahs!
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R/S
Major Wayne Phelps
3d LAAD Bn XO
Security Force, Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan
My Name is Sergeant Major Juan. M. Hidalgo, Sergeant Major of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) out of Camp Pendleton, CA. Sergeant Major (Ret.) Frank Pulley is one of my mentors and is someone that I have a tremendous amount of respect for. The MCA and SgtMaj Pulley do a phenomenal job in helping us recognize our Marines and Sailors and they continually demonstrate that they are always more than ready to support; anytime...Anyplace! And on behalf of the entire 13th MEU, I thank you very much!
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to ship another hat to me for my husband last week. The second hat
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