Ralph Puckett Jr. retired Army colonel receives Medal of Honor seven decades after being wounded leading a company of outnumbered Army Rangers in combat during the Korean War, has died at the age of 97.
Puckett died peacefully Monday at his home in Columbus, Ga., according to Striffler-Hamby Mortuary, which is handling funeral arrangements.
President Biden awarded the first Medal of Honor of his presidency to Puckett for his “conspicuous gallantry” during the war. Mr. Biden presented the medal, which is the country’s highest military honor, alongside then-South Korean President Moon Jae-in.
“President Moon, it is truly an honor to have you here to participate in this ceremony today,” Mr. Biden said during the ceremony. “The strength of the United States-Republic of Korea alliance was born from the courage, determination and sacrifice of Korean troops fighting alongside American troops. And having you here today is an important recognition of everything our nation has accomplished together, both of us, in the decades since.
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Mr. Biden called Puckett’s honor “70 years overdue” and said he was “incredibly proud” to give Puckett the recognition he deserves.
He also told the story of Puckett’s heroism.
“He always believed that all that mattered about being a Ranger was having courage and intelligence,” Mr. Biden said.
Puckett, a first lieutenant during the war, received the Medal of Honor for “acts of valor and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty, while serving as commander of the 8th Ranger Company the United States Army during the period of November 25 and 26, 1950, in Korea,” the White House said in a statement.
During a daylight attack on an enemy hill, Puckett “intentionally crossed an open area three times to attract enemy fire”, allowing Army Rangers to locate and destroy enemy positions and seize from the Hill, the White House said.
Puckett was a new Army officer when he volunteered for the Army’s 8th Ranger Company, formed shortly after the start of the Korean War in 1950. Despite his inexperience, Puckett ended up being chosen as unit commander. He had less than six weeks left to train his soldiers before they joined the fight.
“I said to myself, ‘Dear God, please don’t let me kill a bunch of good guys,’” Puckett told the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer in a 2014 interview.
Over two days in November 1950, Puckett led his fifty Rangers to secure a strategically important hill near Unsan. Puckett sprinted across the open area to fire so the Rangers could find and destroy the enemy machine gunners. Although outnumbered, Puckett’s troops repelled several counterattacks from a Chinese battalion of approximately 500 soldiers before being overwhelmed.
Puckett suffered serious injuries to his feet, back and left arm after two mortar rounds landed in his burrow. He ordered his men to leave him behind, but they refused.
Puckett received the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest U.S. military honor, in 1951. It was reclassified to the Medal of Honor decades later following a policy change that lifted the requirement that such awards were to be given within five years following valorous acts.
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While presenting the medal at the White House, Biden said Puckett’s first reaction after receiving the honor was: “What’s all the fuss about? Can’t they just mail it to me?”
Despite his injuries in Korea, Puckett refused a medical discharge from the Army and spent another 20 years in uniform before retiring in 1971. He received a second Distinguished Service Cross in 1967 for crossing a hail of shells to save two soldiers wounded in Vietnam. , where Puckett led an airborne infantry battalion.
Puckett’s military honors also included two Silver Stars, three Legions of Merit, two Bronze Stars and five Purple Hearts.
“He feared no man, he feared no situation and he feared no enemy,” said retired Army Gen. Jay Hendrick, who served as top general of the U.S. Armed Forces Command from 1999 to 2001, in the Puckett’s online biography.
Born in Tifton, Georgia on December 8, 1926, Puckett graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and received his commission as an infantry officer in 1949.
After retiring from the Army, Puckett served as national programs coordinator of Outward Bound, Inc., and later started a leadership and teamwork development program called Discovery, Inc. He remained an active supporter of the 75th Ranger Regiment stationed at Fort Moore, near his Columbus. House.
Puckett told the Columbus Journal that he learned one of his most important life lessons on his first day at West Point, when a senior cadet told him that one of the few acceptable answers he could give to any question would be: “No excuses, sir. “
“It was ingrained in my thinking that I have no excuse at any time if I don’t meet the standards that I’m supposed to meet,” Puckett said.
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