Ralph Puckett
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Ralph Puckett Jr. (born 8 December 1926 in Tifton, Georgia) led the 8th Army Ranger Company during the Korean War. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions on November 25, 1950, when his company of 71 Rangers defeated several battalions of Chinese forces at the battle for Hill 205.[1] He retired from the United States Army in 1971 as a Colonel. After being appointed on 19 July 1996, he has served as the first and only honorary Colonel of the 75th Ranger Regiment[2] and is frequently in demand as a public speaker for military ceremonies.
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[edit] Military career
In 1949, Puckett graduated from the United States Military Academy, was commissioned as an infantry Second Lieutenant and immediately volunteered to be assigned with the Rangers. When he was informed that there were no more lieutenant positions in the 8th Army Ranger Company, he said that he would "take a squad leader's or rifleman's job"; positions several grades lower than a lieutenant's. Colonel McGee, who was in charge of forming the company, was so impressed by Puckett's attitude that he gave him the company commander's position; a position normally reserved for Captains.
On 11 October 1950, the 8th Army Ranger Company entered the Korean War, conducting raids during both daylight and night time conditions.
[edit] Hill 205
On 25 November 1950, Puckett and his company became famous when they captured and held Hill 205, a strategic point overlooking the Chongchon River. Initially, they had to brace for attack from all sides, as the company of only 71 strong was over a mile from the nearest friendly unit and vulnerable to being completely surrounded. Fortunately for the Rangers, they had artillery support for parts of the night. Puckett pre-calculated a series of increasingly more dangerous fire missions with the artillery, in order allow the Rangers artillery support to rapidly adjust to new attacks.
At 10pm, the Chinese began their attack by firing a mortar salvo against Puckett and his Rangers. Six waves of Chinese forces assaulted the hill for the next four and a half hours. Several times, Puckett was forced to call in artillery fire "danger close", placing the Rangers within the danger radius of the friendly artillery. During the course of the battle, he was wounded several times, once by grenade fragments and then twice more when a two mortars landed in his fox hole. After his wounds rendered him barely conscious, two of Puckett's Rangers, PFCs Polluck and Walls, dragged him down the hill, killing a Chinese machinegun team along their way.
Ralph Puckett was MEDEVACed from the hill and would be hospitalized for a year for his wounds suffered that night. He was awarded numerous medals for his service, including a Distinguished Service Cross.
[edit] After Korea
After the Korean War, Puckett took command of the Mountain Ranger Division of the Ranger Department.
Having completed 22 years of service, Puckett retired in 1971, as a full Colonel.
[edit] Civilian life
Puckett was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame in 1992. He was also inducted into the Order of Saint Maurice in 1998. He currently resides in Columbus, Georgia with his wife, Jean. They have two children and six grandchildren.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Lock, John D. and Moore, Harold G. To Fight With Intrepidity: The Complete History of the U.S. Army Rangers 1622 to Present Fenestra Books, 2001 ISBN 1587360640
- ^ http://www.usma1982.org/Constitution/Officers/2002-2007/PuckettNomination.htm USMA class of 1982 recommendation for COL Puckett for the Distinguished Graduate Award
- ^ http://www.nationalinfantryfoundation.org/advisor_puckett.shtml National Infantry Foundation's biography on COL Puckett
