[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 74 (Tuesday, April 30, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S3071]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                   Remembering Colonel Ralph Puckett

  Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, typically, legends emerge long after 
individuals or events they commemorate have passed into history; 
however, the legend of COL Ralph Puckett was present among us for 
decades.
  Ralph Puckett, Jr., was a giant of a man in his accomplishments, 
duties, and passion. He started on his journey into legendary history 
when he graduated from West Point in 1949, commissioning as an infantry 
officer.
  Following the outbreak of the Korean conflict in 1950, Lieutenant 
Puckett volunteered to command the newly created Eighth Army Ranger 
Company. This freshly minted lieutenant was charged with turning 
noninfantry soldiers into battle-ready Rangers in only 5\1/2\ weeks, 
and to no one's surprise, he did it.
  On November 25, 1950, the Rangers dismounted their vehicles under 
heavy fire and secured Hill 205 against an onslaught of North Korean 
fighters, who outnumbered them nearly 10 to 1. Lieutenant Puckett was 
instrumental in this effort. He called in supporting artillery fires 
dangerously close to his position. He intentionally exposed himself on 
six occasions, allowing the enemy force to focus on him while enabling 
his men to locate and kill the enemy.
  Lieutenant Puckett was wounded twice in this battle, but he refused 
to be evacuated and instead chose to continue to lead his men while 
they repelled five consecutive counterattacks.
  It wasn't until the sixth counterattack, with supporting artillery 
fires unavailable and in the face of almost certain death, that 
Lieutenant Puckett ordered his men to leave him behind due to his 
injuries and the chaos surrounding the close-quarters fighting. Instead 
of leaving their commander, two rangers fought their way to Lieutenant 
Puckett, and they dragged him to safety. For his actions, he was 
awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
  Following the battle that nearly cost Lieutenant Puckett his life, he 
was sent to Fort Benning, GA, for recovery. There he met his future 
bride, Miss Jeannie Martin. They would later be married on November 26, 
1952, the second anniversary of the battle.
  Instead of retiring from military service, Lieutenant Puckett chose 
to serve as a combat arms officer at the U.S. Army Ranger School. In 
1967, Lieutenant Colonel Puckett volunteered for a tour in Vietnam, 
where he once again led soldiers in combat, most notably during the Tet 
Offensive.
  In 1971, after 22 years of service, Colonel Puckett retired from 
Active Duty, but that was not the end of Colonel Puckett's service.
  When he and his family moved to Georgia in 1990, he devoted much of 
his time to speak on base and to teach leadership courses. He also 
participated in numerous field training exercises and visited soldiers 
serving all around the world to pass on the leadership and life lessons 
he learned during his multiple combat tours.
  Colonel Puckett's influence extended to virtually every senior 
infantry officer and noncommissioned officer who served at Fort 
Benning--now Fort Moore--or within the 75th Ranger Regiment for nearly 
two decades. However, his mentorship wasn't limited to the men and 
women at the senior ranks. It resonated across all levels of our 
military.
  Between his leadership while on Active Duty and mentorship after he 
retired, Colonel Puckett influenced generations of servicemembers, 
including me. I was fortunate enough to meet Colonel Puckett when I 
worked on Fort Moore in the 1990s. When I was deployed in support of 
Operation Iraqi Freedom, from 2003 to 2004, Colonel Puckett, who had 
become a mentor, would write to me with words of advice and motivation. 
For a man of his stature and legacy to spend this time mentoring a 
young captain on deployment is just one small example of the character 
and tireless devotion of Colonel Puckett.
  Rightly so, Colonel Puckett was an inaugural inductee into the U.S. 
Army Ranger Hall of Fame. He would go on to be the honorary colonel of 
the 75th Ranger Regiment from 1996 to 2008. On May 21, 2021, Colonel 
Puckett's Distinguished Service Cross was upgraded to the Medal of 
Honor in a White House ceremony that I was very, very privileged and 
fortunate to attend.
  Colonel Puckett lived a life of devoted service to our Nation. His 
military awards include the Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service 
Cross, two Silver Stars, three Legions of Merit, two Bronze Stars with 
``V'' device for valor, and five Purple Hearts. In addition, he has the 
Combat Infantryman's Badge with star, Special Forces Tab, and Ranger 
Tab.
  Colonel Puckett was a legend--a legend of a man; a legend of a 
soldier; a legend of a ranger; a legend of a husband, father, and 
grandfather; and a legend of a citizen who knew no limits to serving 
his country.
  After a literal lifetime of dedication and service to America, it is 
only fitting that we pay tribute to Colonel Puckett in the Rotunda of 
the Capitol to honor his sacrifices and the sacrifices of the Silent 
Generation and the more than 5,700,000 men and women who served in the 
Armed Forces of the United States during the ``Forgotten War.''
  This country is forever in your debt for answering the call to fight 
against tyranny and oppression in the Korean conflict.
  Mr. President, I ask that we take a moment of silence in memory of 
Colonel Puckett and the contributions he made both in and out of 
uniform and to acknowledge the sacrifices his family made when Colonel 
Puckett's duties took him away from home.
  (Moment of silence.)
  It has been a privilege and an honor to know such a man and to have 
walked in the footsteps of giants who have come before--giants such as 
COL Ralph Puckett, Jr.
  May he rest in peace.
  ``Rangers Lead the Way!''
  I yield the floor.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Texas.