Exclusive: Complete coverage of the Celebration of Life for Medal of Honor recipient and Army Ranger legend Ralph Puckett

Chuck Williams
·1 min read
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COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — The Columbus and military communities said farewell to Medal of Honor recipient Col. Ralph Puckett in a Celebration of Life service Saturday at the National Infantry Museum.

Puckett died on April 8 at the age of 97.

The weekend remembrance started, fittingly, with a PT workout on Friday morning with soldiers from the 75th Ranger Regiment and the Airborne Ranger Training Brigade. Up until his death, Col. Puckett was a fixture in both units. He offered encouragement and attended graduations at ARTB. He served for 12 years as the Honorary Colonel of the regiment.

A Ranger historian, retired Lt. Col. John Lock, worked for two decades to get Col. Puckett’s valor on Hill 205 in Korea upgraded from the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation’s second highest military honor for valor, upgraded to the Medal of Honor, the highest recognition available.

Here’s the Sunday Conversation with Lock.

Part 1

Part 2

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp attended Saturday’s service at the National Infantry Museum. He talked to WRBL about the life and legacy of Col. Puckett, a proud Georgian. Puckett was born and raised in Tifton and lived the last three and a half decades of his life in Columbus.

WRBL televised the service live. Here’s the conclusion of that broadcast.

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