Colonel Ralph Puckett Jr., of the United States Army, retired. His honorable name is now etched in history.
Medal of Honor recipients On Monday afternoon, the Capitol rotunda honored Puckett with his cremated remains, one of the nation’s highest honors. Puckett died on April 8 at the age of 97 in Columbus, Georgia.
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The United States Capitol reserves the privilege of laying in state or honor for its most distinguished citizens and officials, including presidents and honored war heroes. Only seven people, including Rosa Parks and Billy Graham, as well as four Capitol Police officers, have ever received the tribute.
During the Korean War, Puckett drew enemy fire and put himself in danger many times to help his fellow Army Rangers locate and destroy enemy positions during a multi-wave attack, earning him the Medal of Honor.
“The courage and self-sacrifice that earned that honor will be this great man’s eternal legacy,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell stated at Monday’s event.
On May 21, 2021, President Joe Biden upgraded one of his Distinguished Service Crosses to the Medal of Honor for Puckett’s “extraordinary heroism and selflessness” in the Korean War more than 70 years ago, explaining that the award finally gave Puckett’s “acts of valor the full recognition they have always deserved.”
Moon Jae-in, President of the Republic of Korea, joined the celebration in the East Room, becoming the first foreign leader to attend a Medal of Honor ceremony.
“Colonel Puckett was a great hero throughout the Korean War. “With extraordinary valor and leadership, he completed missions until the very end, defending Hill 205 and fighting many more battles that required equal valor,” Moon added. “Without the sacrifice of veterans, including Colonel Puckett and the Eighth Army Ranger Company, the freedom and democracy we enjoy today couldn’t have blossomed in Korea.”
Speaker Mike Johnson hoped that the next generation of service members and warfighters will “learn” from Puckett’s example and “aspire to the same great virtues of valor, honor, and courage.”
“These heroes were formed by fire.” They were built amidst enormous adversity. They were average men. The majority of them had to do exceptional things because they were motivated by a deep sense of responsibility, self-sacrifice, and the belief that their cause was just,” Johnson added. They believed that our country’s beliefs were worth preserving and that God would recognize the immeasurable value of their personal sacrifices. The warriors of the Korean War did the right thing, often at great personal cost, and their example is one we should all appreciate and aspire to.
According to a military citation given at the event, Puckett received the Medal of Honor “for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty” while serving as commander of the 8th United States Army Ranger Company in Korea on November 25–26, 1950.
As Puckett’s unit launched a daylight advance, the Korean enemy opened fire on the approaching US force with mortars, machine guns, and small arms, according to the citation. Puckett mounted a tank, “exposing himself to the deadly enemy fire,” before leaping off it, yelling “words of encouragement” to his men, and leading the Rangers into battle.
As enemy fire “threatened the success of the attack by pinning down” one U.S. platoon, Puckett “intentionally ran across an open area three times to draw enemy fire, thereby allowing the Rangers to locate and destroy the enemy positions and to seize Hill 205,” the citation noted.
Hours passed during the counterattack, and despite early grenade fragment injuries, Puckett refused evacuation and continued to coordinate artillery support, decimating attacking enemy formations.
During a sixth attack, two enemy mortar rounds fell in his foxhole, causing “grievous wounds” and impeding his movement. Puckett instructed everyone to leave him behind and abandon the location. However, two Rangers ignored the order and rescued him from the foxhole, carrying him from beneath enemy fire to the bottom of the hill, where Puckett “called for devastating artillery fire on the top of the enemy-controlled hill.”
“First Lieutenant Puckett’s extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army,” according to the citation.
Eventually, Puckett rejoined the military and saw combat in Vietnam, where his bravery once again garnered recognition. His additional accolades include five Purple Hearts, two Silver Stars, three Legion of Merit awards, two Bronze Star medals, and a second Distinguished Service Cross for his actions in Vietnam.
The flags at the United States Capitol flew at half-staff on Monday in honor of Puckett.
