Army Col. Ralph Puckett, Medal of Honor recipient, Ranger legend, dies at 97

[Lambeau]

December 8, 1926 – April 8, 2024

Army Col. Ralph Puckett, Medal of Honor recipient and Ranger legend, dies at 97

Retired Army Col. Ralph Puckett, an Army Ranger who received the Medal of Honor for lifesaving heroics in the Korean War and the Distinguished Service Cross fighting in Vietnam, died Monday. He was 97.

www.stripes.com

RIP Colonel Puckett
Thank you so very much.

 

[03 Cobra DSG]

True hero, I’m glad I had the opportunity to meet meet him and shake his hand.


Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com

 

[Lambeau]

“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 Wings, 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 75th 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.”

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.”

 

[Lambeau]

Col. Puckett also wrote two books.

“Words for Warriors: A Professional Soldier's Notebook”

and

“Ranger: A Soldier’s Life”