In April 2021, Puckett's Distinguished Service Cross for his actions on November 25, 1950, was upgraded to the Medal of Honor. He received the award from President Joe Biden during a ceremony at the White House on May 21, 2021. Until his death in 2024, he was the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient of the Korean War, following the death of Hiroshi Miyamura on November 29, 2022.[4]
Early life
Puckett was born on December 8, 1926 in Tifton, Georgia.[5] He grew up in Tifton, which is in South Georgia. He attended Tifton High School, then finished high school at Baylor School, at that time a military academy, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He enrolled at Georgia Tech in 1943 before enlisting in the U.S. Army during World War II.[6] In 1943, he became an Eagle Scout.[7]
Military career
Puckett enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps Enlisted Reserve in 1943 to become a pilot, undertaking his pre-aviation cadet training at Georgia Tech. However, with a glut of trained pilots, the program was disbanded. Puckett tried to remain in service with the Air Corps, but after it became clear there would be no chance at flight training, he chose to be discharged. He obtained an appointment to the United States Military Academy in July 1945.[8][9]
In 1949, Puckett graduated from the United States Military Academy (where he captained the Army Boxing Team), was commissioned as an infantrysecond lieutenant, deployed to Japan, and immediately volunteered to be assigned with the Rangers. When he was informed that there were no more lieutenant positions in the Eighth Army Ranger Company, he said that he would "take a squad leader's or rifleman's job"; positions several grades lower than a lieutenant's. Colonel McGee, who was in charge of forming the company, was so impressed by Puckett's attitude that he gave him the company commander's position; a position normally reserved for captains. On October 11, 1950, the Eighth Army Ranger Company entered the Korean War, conducting raids during both daylight and night time conditions.[10]
On November 25, 1950, Puckett and his company captured Hill 205, a strategic point overlooking the Chongchon River, as part of the Battle of the Ch'ongch'on River. Puckett led the Rangers during the attack, shouted words of encouragement and got supporting fire from the closest tank. When a platoon was pinned down, he ran across an open area three times to draw enemy fire, which allowed the Rangers to locate and destroy the enemy positions and to seize Hill 205. After capturing the hill, the Ranger company was over a mile from the nearest friendly unit. Puckett coordinated artillery support prior to the Chinese counterattack.[5][8][11]
At 10pm, the Chinese began their attack by firing a mortar salvo against the Rangers. Six waves of Chinese forces assaulted the hill, with the first five waves attacking the hill for four hours. The Rangers were outnumbered 10-to-1. Several times, Puckett was forced to call in "danger close" artillery fire. During the sixth assault, the Rangers were overrun in hand-to-hand combat. There was a lack of artillery support due to Chinese attacks throughout the American lines. Puckett, who had previously suffered a thigh wound, incurred several wounds to his feet, buttocks, and an arm when two mortars landed in his fox hole. After his wounds immobilized him, Puckett ordered his Rangers to leave him behind and abandon the position. Two of the Rangers, David Pollock and Billy Walls, ignored his orders, shot three Chinese soldiers who were yards from Puckett's fox hole, and evacuated Puckett from the hill. After he was evacuated, Puckett was able to call for artillery fire to hit the hill. He was hospitalized for 11 months due to the wounds he suffered that night.[5][8][11][12]
Following the Korean War, Puckett served over two years in the U.S. Army Infantry School Ranger Department as commander of the Mountain Ranger Division. As the first Ranger Advisor in the U.S. Army Mission to Colombia, he planned and established the Colombian Army Escuela de Lanceros (Ranger School). Later, he commanded "B" and "C" teams in the 10th Special Forces Group in Germany. In 1967, Puckett, then a Lieutenant Colonel, commanded the 2d Battalion, 502d Infantry (Airborne) of the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam. He was awarded a second Distinguished Service Cross for heroic leadership in August 1967. During a firefight near Đức Phổ, South Vietnam, he exposed himself to intense enemy fire and rallied his undermanned unit to defeat Viet Cong forces.[5][13]
Retirement
Puckett with Army Rangers in 2010.
Puckett retired in 1971 after 22 years of active duty to become the national programs coordinator of Outward Bound, Inc.[7] He subsequently established leadership and teamwork development program Discovery, Inc.[14] After several years of successful leadership at Discovery, Inc. in Herndon, Virginia, Puckett moved to Atlanta and began the Discovery Program at The Westminster Schools. In 1984, he became the executive vice-president of MicroBilt, Inc., a soft- and hardware computer company. Puckett was an inaugural inductee into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame in 1992.[15] He served as the Honorary Colonel for the 75th Ranger Regiment from 1996 to 2006 for which he was awarded the Distinguished Civilian Service Award. He often spoke at graduations and other functions at Fort Benning and was an Honorary Instructor at The Infantry School. He was inducted into the Order of St. Maurice in 1997,[16] and was the 1998 Ranger of the Year for the Ranger Infantry Companies of the Korean War. He was inducted into the USAF Gathering of Eagles in 1999.[17] He was added to the Tifton, Georgia, Wall of Fame in 2004. Other honors include appointment as an Ambassador of Goodwill by the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, selection as a Distinguished Graduate of the United States Military Academy in 2004,[11] and selection as the Infantry's Doughboy Award recipient in 2007.[16] He was the author of Words for Warriors: A Professional Soldier's Notebook[18] and numerous media articles.
Personal life and death
Puckett and his wife had two daughters and a son, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. One of his daughters preceded him in death.[5][12]
Puckett died on April 8, 2024, at his home in Columbus, Georgia, at the age of 97.[19]
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3rd, 1863, has awarded, in the name of Congress, the Medal of Honor to
FIRST LIEUTENANT RALPH PUCKETT, JR.
UNITED STATES ARMY
for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.
First Lieutenant Ralph Puckett, Jr., distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as the commander 8th U.S. Army Ranger Company during the period of 25 November, 1950, through 26 November, 1950, in Korea.
As his unit commenced a daylight attack on Hill 205, the enemy directed mortar, machine gun, and small-arms fire against the advancing force. To obtain fire, First Lieutenant Puckett mounted the closest tank, exposing himself to the deadly enemy fire. Leaping from the tank, he shouted words of encouragement to his men and began to lead the Rangers in the attack.
Almost immediately, enemy fire threatened the success of the attack by pinning down one platoon. Leaving the safety of his position, with full knowledge of the danger, First Lieutenant 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.
During the night, the enemy launched a counterattack that lasted four hours. Over the course of the counterattack, the Rangers were inspired and motivated by the extraordinary leadership and courageous example exhibited by First Lieutenant Puckett. As a result, five human-wave attacks by a battalion-strength enemy — enemy element were repulsed.
During the first attack, First Lieutenant Puckett was wounded by grenade fragments, but refused evacuation and continually directed artillery support that decimated attacking enemy formations.
He repeatedly abandoned positions of relative safety to make his way from foxhole to foxhole, to check the company’s perimeter and to distribute ammunition amongst the Rangers.
When the enemy launched a sixth attack, it became clear to First Lieutenant Puckett that the position was untenable due to the unavailability of supporting artillery fire. During this attack, two enemy mortar rounds landed in his foxhole, inflicting grievous wounds, which limited his mobility.
Knowing his men were in a precarious situation, First Lieutenant Puckett commanded the Rangers to leave him behind and evacuate the area. Feeling a sense of duty to aid him, the Rangers refused the order and staged an effort to retrieve him from the foxhole while still under fire from the enemy.
Ultimately, the Rangers succeeded in retrieving First Lieutenant Puckett and they moved to the bottom of the hill, where First Lieutenant 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.
Colonel Ralph Puckett Parkway, a stretch of First Division and Dixie roads running from the end of I-185 to Sightseeing Road on Fort Benning, was dedicated on June 8, 2012.[26][27]
Colonel Puckett is the namesake of the Colonel Ralph Puckett Leadership Award series.
The first award is a competition to identify a junior officer in the Ranger Regiment who sticks out amongst his peers for his take-charge attitude. The contest extends over three days and nights and consists of several different physical fitness tests, weapons firing, military skills, essay preparation, and appearance before a board of officers and senior non-commissioned officers. The winner of the award is considered by the Regiment as the entry in the Army-wide MacArthur Award competition.
The second award is presented to the Officer Honor Graduate at the U.S. Army Ranger Course. The recipient of this award performs successfully in each leadership position, completes the demanding Ranger Course without repeating any phase, and was acclaimed by his peers.
The third award is presented to an officer in the Maneuver Captains Career Course who displayed exceptional leadership and exhibits exemplary physical condition, consistent high academic standing, and served in a leadership position.[28]
References
^Ralph Puckett, WD AGO FORM 639 dated January 11, 1951
^Lock, John D.; Moore, Harold G. (2001). To Fight With Intrepidity: The Complete History of the U.S. Army Rangers 1622 to Present. Fenestra Books. ISBN1-58736-064-0.
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