Korean Conflict Medal of Honor recipient Col. Ralph Puckett passes away in his sleep; He was 97

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL)  — Col. Ralph Puckett Jr., U.S. Army retired and a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his battlefield actions in the Korean Conflict, died peacefully in his sleep early Monday, April 8, 2024, at his home in Columbus, Ga.

Col. Puckett was 97 years old and the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from the Korean Conflict.

A celebration of his remarkable American life will be held April 20 at the National Infantry Museum. It will be at 11 a.m. on the NIM parade field.

Col. Puckett’s remains will be interred in a private ceremony at the Parkhill Cemetery in Columbus.

Col. Puckett’s life and military service can best be summed up in one line from the Cadets’ Prayer at his alma mater, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

“Make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, and never to be content with a half-truth when the whole can be won.”

John Lock, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, led a decades-long effort to have the Medal of Honor awarded to Col. Puckett. At the end of Col. Puckett’s life, Lock became a trusted confidant.

“Many will say that Col. Puckett ‘led by example,’” Lock said. “I would rather say that Col. Puckett

‘lived by example.’ The difference being that ‘leading by example’ can be defined as modeling the actions and behaviors one wants others to see and emulate, while ‘living by example’ reflects one’s beliefs via actions and daily life, meaning always doing what you are supposed to do, when you are supposed to do it, even if no one is there to see.”

A total of 147 Medals of Honor  – the nation’s highest military recognition for valor—were awarded to those who fought in Korea. Col. Puckett received his at the White House in May 2021, more than 70 years after his heroic efforts with the 8^th Army Ranger Company on Hill 205 in what is now North Korea.

It was presented to him by President Biden with President Moon of the Republic of Korea in attendance. Puckett pushed away his walker and stood at attention as President Biden draped the medal around his neck.

Selected as the company’s commander, 1st Lt. Puckett had about a month to train his Rangers before being committed to combat operations.

On Nov. 25, 1950, Puckett and his Rangers attacked and secured Hill 205 near Unsan, Korea. Though outnumbered 10 to one, Puckett and his Rangers defeated five successive Chinese counterattacks over four hours that night and into the early morning hours of Nov. 26.

On the sixth assault, Puckett’s Ranger company was overrun in hand-to-hand combat. Puckett was wounded multiple times and unable to move. Disobeying his orders to leave him, fellow Rangers fought their way to his side and evacuated him to safety.

For his actions, Puckett was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. That was upgraded in 2021 to the Medal of Honor.

Col. Puckett retired from active duty in 1971 after 22 years in uniform and multiple combat tours in Korea and Vietnam.

His list of military accomplishments is lengthy.

His ribbon rack reflected among others: the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, two Silver Stars, three Legions of Merit, two Bronze Stars with V device for valor, five Purple Hearts, ten Air Medals and the World War II Victory Medal. In addition, he had the Combat Infantryman’s Badge with star – for Korea and Vietnam, the Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, Glider Badge and the Colombian Lancero Ranger Badge from the most respected Ranger course in Latin America that he helped establish.

“Like thousands of other Rangers, we loved the best Ranger,” said Retired Col. Rob Choppa, president of the National Infantry Association. “He was truly the best among us.”

In his post-military life, Puckett became a fixture at Fort Benning, now Fort Moore. He was honorary colonel of the 75^th Ranger Regiment, an elite Army fighting force headquartered at the post, and served an unprecedented 12 years in that role. A kindred spirit, he spent time with the Rangers either in the field as they trained or in theater as they fought their war, the Global War on Terrorism.

Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal said that Col. Puckett lived his extraordinary life for other people.

“If we measure Ralph Puckett’s accomplishments and we only include the Medal of Honor, we are almost missing the point,” McChrystal said. “Ralph Puckett’s awards are thousands of young Rangers, many of whom were still fairly young, that he’s touched by his example and his actions. That’s the real monument to him.”

Former Fort Moore, commander retired Gen. Scott Miller said above all Col. Puckett was a teacher of life lessons.

“Col. Puckett has taught us all what it means to give back after active service–his legacy will be more than the Medal of Honor; it will be the generations of leaders that he has actively mentored and positively influenced,” Miller said. “And he was such a friend to all of us that came through Fort Moore.”

A native of Tifton, Ga., Puckett travelled the world in his service to the nation. He and his wife of 70 years, the former Jeannie Martin, have lived in her hometown of Columbus since 1990.

Despite the demands of his military service, his son, Thomas Puckett, says his father was “a Medal of Honor dad every day. He sets the standard for what it’s like to be a gentleman, what it’s like to be a man and be true to your word. It is just a very high standard he’s set and he lives up to it.”

“Like thousands of other Rangers we loved the best Ranger,” said Retired Col. Rob Choppa, president of the National Infantry Association. “He was truly the best among us.”

Col. Puckett was preceded in death by his parents, Clara Steadman Puckett and Ralph Atticus Puckett; his sister Clara Puckett Winston; his brother Thomas Steadman Puckett; and his daughter Jean Puckett Raney.

The colonel is survived by his wife Jeannie Martin Puckett; daughter Martha Lane Puckett and her husband Tony Wilcoxson; son Thomas Martin Puckett and his partner Chip Whitman; grandchildren Laurin Flanary Raney (MD), Dixon Flanary Raney, Capt. Martha Lane Kinnett; Jean Martin DeLoach, Sarah Kinnett Burdett and Jack Robertson Kinnett III; and four great-grandchildren.

If so desired, the family requests that donations be made to the National Infantry Museum, Ralph Puckett Memorial Fund, or the charity of your choice.

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