Ralph Puckett Jr., a Army Ranger of the United States Army who led the defense against six Chinese assaults in a frozen hill in the Korean War , on Friday received America’s highest military award, the Medal of Honor, from President Joe Biden.
Biden said the initial reaction of Puckett upon receiving as the Medal of Honor was asking: “Why all the fuss? Can’t you just mail it to me? ”
Biden said that by delivering this award to the Army Ranger , you waited for more than 70 years to be recognized for his heroics, a ceremony would be well deserved. “Colonel Puckett , after 70 years, instead of mailing it to him, he would have taken it, ”said Biden. “I think his lifetime service to our nation deserves a bit of a fuss.”
JUST IN: Pres. Biden awards the Medal of Honor to Col. Ralph Puckett Jr., who drew enemy fire and exposed himself multiple times to danger to allow his Rangers to find and destroy enemy positions during a multi-wave attack during the Korean war. https://t.co/JicURXnepd pic.twitter.com/sbSBjjlwhe
– ABC News (@ABC) May 21, 2021
The 25 November 1950, the then First Lieutenant led a company of 51 American and nine South Korean soldiers against Chinese forces, in what was called Hill 205 , according to a mention in the White House award, an Army website and an oral history provided by Puckett .
In the initial daylight assault on the hill, Puckett repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire, rallying the US troops immov ilized to advance and seize the hill from its defenders. But once night fell and temperatures on the hill dropped below freezing, Puckett and his command faced wave after wave of Chinese assaults attempting to retake the key location.
Hundreds of Chinese soldiers were estimated to have been involved in the attack on the group of five dozen Puckett , he said in a video recorded for Witness to War, a compilation of oral histories of veterans.
Sitting on top of the hill looking out over the perimeter of 360 degrees that American forces had established, with Chinese lines somewhere in the darkness beyond, Puckett could hear the sound of whistles and bugles.
“That was the way they coordinated with each other.” said about the Chinese forces. When the notes stopped, “we were hit by a barrage of mortars and shots from automatic weapons and shortly after a rain of hand grenades.”
Puckett reported by radio that they carried out an artillery attack, stopping the Chinese advance. But a grenade fragment had left him with his first wound of the night.
Six Chinese attacks
That assault was the first of what would be six perimeter attacks by the United States Rangers in the early hours of 26 November. “We were getting more and more pressure and there were more and more people injured” with each assault, said Puckett.
The story of Ralph Puckett, an American Hero.
Today, I received the # MedalofHonor for his bravery in the face of danger pic.twitter.com/wgLl65 Tl 75
– US Army (@USArmy) May 21, 2021
Despite being wounded a second time, through five rounds Puckett was able to resort to artillery, firing on points that he determined in advance to keep the Chinese troops at bay.
His personal situation was terrible. By now, he had been wounded three times and was lying in a trench “unable to do anything.”
“I could see three Chinese at one 15 yards from me and they were bayonet shooting or shooting some of my wounded Rangers, ”he recalled.
Then hope returned. “Suddenly two of my Rangers charged up the hill – Pfc. Billy G. Walls, Pfc. David L. Pollack – they shot the three Chinese, and I guess they killed them, ”said Puckett.
One official Army history records that Puckett suffered injuries to both feet, thighs, buttocks and shoulder left that night. His fighting time in Korea was over.
Puckett “distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and fearlessness beyond the call of duty,” reads the White House quote. “(His) extraordinary heroism and disinterest above and beyond the call of duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service.”
Long way to the highest honor
Born in Tifton, Georgia at 1926, Puckett had a long career in the United States Army, first enlisting as a private in 1943 during world war II. It was decommissioned in June of 1945 to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating four years later as a second lieutenant.
After Korea, he also served on a combat tour of 05 months in Vietnam in 1967 – 68 on the 75 Airborne Division, before retiring from active duty in 1971 with the rank of Colonel.
As a retiree, Puckett remains actively involved in military affairs and in 1992 was one of the first people to be inducted into the United States Army Rangers Hall of Fame.
Ret. Col. Ralph Puckett served – and continues to serve – with honor and duty. Each day, he lives out the Ranger Creed he first spoke many years ago.
Hear from Soldiers about what Puckett means to the @ USArmy .
Full video : https://t.co/gG 217 mpC8I @ TRADOC @ PatDonahoeArmy @GoArmy pic.twitter.com/KzMvVRYaWQ– US Army Fort Benning (@FortBenning) May 20, 2021
Puckett originally received the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions at Hill 205, but John Lock, a retired Army officer and p An assistant professor at the United States Military Academy came across the story of Puckett during an investigation in the early 1990 and thought he met the criteria for the Medal of Honor , as reported on the Army website.
On 2003, Lock initiated a process to obtain to Puckett the Medal of Honor, but the request was denied in 2007 and again on appeal at 2009, depending on the site. Lock persevered and petitioned for an upgrade to Puckett .
After that too was denied, Lock was informed of a route alternative, through the Army adjudication board of corrections. This was a success and last year the Medal of Honor was approved for Puckett, but Lock emphasized that it was something that Puckett never pushed for.
“While we were going through the process and we were dead in the water, he asked me to stop because he didn’t want me to keep wasting my time,” Lock told the Army website.