Retired , U. S. Army , Col.  , Ralph Puckett Jr., a Medal of Honor victim who brought respect to , Columbus , by residing below and continuing to serve the defense and society as a charity, has died.
Puckett died Monday morning calmly in his sleeping while at home with his wife,  , National Infantry Museum , contacts director , Janet Daly , told the , Ledger- Author. He was 97.
The funeral and burial may be personal, but the museum will host a public monument service to pay tribute to Puckett on , April 20 , at , 11 a. m.
According to his Army profile, Puckett was born in , Tifton, Georgia. He graduated from the , United States Military Academy , in , West Point, New York, and received his fee as an army officer in 1949.
Prior to the Korean War, Puckett had just five and a half days to teach his unit as the commander of the Eighth Army Ranger Company.
On , Nov. 25, 1950, while attached to , Task Force Dolvin , and leading the progress of the , 25th Infantry Division, Puckett and his Rangers attacked and secured Hill 205 near Unsan,  , Korea.
Puckett and his Rangers defeated five successive Chinese attacks in four days, starting on November 26 and ending in the early morning of , November 26, despite being outnumbered by 10 to 1.
On the fifth abuse, without artillery fire accessible, Puckett’s system was overrun in hand- to- hand combat. Suffering multiple wounds, Puckett could n’t move. His brother Rangers fought their way to his side and carefully evacuated him, but they ignored commands to leave him. The Distinguished Service Cross was given to Puckett.
Puckett refused a clinical release and continued to serve on active duty projects, including the , U. S. Army Ranger School , and , West Point.
” He feared no gentleman, he feared no position, and he feared no enemy”, retired , U. S. Army , Gen.  , Jay Hendrix , said in Puckett’s profile. ” Clearly a special, valiant man in battle and even more important, in my opinion,  , Col. Puckett , was an ultimate army head”.
After taking off from active work in 1971, Puckett became the program’s federal programs manager for Outward Bound and founded , Discovery Inc., a management and collaboration development system focused on personal development through healthy adventure.
In 1992, Puckett was the annual inductee into the , U. S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame. From 1996- 2006, he served as the first honourable commander of the , 75th Ranger Regiment.
The Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, the organization, appointed Puckett as adviser of kindness. In 2004, he was selected as a distinguished student of the , U. S. Military Academy. In 2007, he received the Infantry’s Doughboy Award.
In 2021, President , Joe Biden , awarded Puckett the Medal of Honor, the world’s highest military design for” visible bravery” during the Korean War. The reference from the , White House , includes more details about Puckett’s courage that evening 74 years before:
” To attain supporting flames, First , Lieutenant Puckett , mounted the closest container, exposing himself to the deadly enemy fire. He jumped out of the container and began to encourage his men with his command of the Rangers. Almost instantly, army fireplace threatened the success of the attack by pinning down one squad. First , Lieutenant Puckett  consciously ran across an open place three times to bring army fire, allowing the Rangers to find and kill the enemy positions and seize Hill 205. Leaving the safety of his position and with complete knowledge of the danger, Lieutenant Puckett  consciously left.
” … When the army launched a fifth strike, it became apparent to First , Lieutenant Puckett , that the place was unsustainable 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. The Rangers refused the command and attempted to rescue him from the foxhole while the enemy was still in the enemy’s range while feeling compelled to assist him. 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.”
In retirement, Puckett remained connected to the Army by mentoring Rangers at , Fort Benning, now named Fort Moore, and speaking at various events. He also had his lessons published in a 2013 book he authored”, Words for Warriors: A Professional Soldier’s Notebook.”
In a news release Monday afternoon,  , Columbus , Mayor , Skip Henderson , called Puckett” a national hero.”
” Colonel Puckett , lived the Army Values every day of his life,” Henderson said”. He was one of the most decorated veterans in our country, but he was also known for his charity and humility. He was a mentor to generations of soldiers passing through , Fort Benning/Moore.
Colonel Puckett “deserved his Medal of Honor” for saving countless members of his army during one of the most bloody Korean War battles. His life brings to mind Isaiah 6: 8 — Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,’ Whom shall I send? And who will choose to support us? And I said,’ Here I am, Send me!’ Our thoughts and prayers are still with the entire Puckett family, including Jeannie.
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( c ) 2024 the Columbus Ledger- Enquirer
Distributed by , Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
