Veteran Army Ranger Earns Medal of Honor 70 Years Later Veterans, Active Duty, and Military Families

Veteran Army Ranger s Valor Recognized 70 Years Later

Ralph Puckett gets his due with a little support from the commander in chief

Photograph by Andrew Hetherington / Courtesy Ralph Puckett When the , I was as green as you could get — I’d graduated from West Point the year before. My Ranger company arrived in Korea shortly after the war started. Two months after we got there, we took Hill 205 in what is now North Korea, about 60 miles south of the border with China. By that point, we knew we were fighting not only North Korean troops but Chinese forces who had come across the border. It was a very frigid night, and the Chinese troops below us kept arriving, until we were outnumbered by 4 or 5 to 1. They hit us with mortars, hand grenades and machine guns. Over the following hours, we repulsed five waves of Chinese troops trying to retake the hill, but we lost troops with each assault. I was wounded several times, including in both of my feet. The sixth wave forced us few survivors off the hill, and I told my men to leave me behind so they could get to safety. “We’re not leaving you, sir,” one replied. A Ranger put me over his shoulder and staggered down the mountain. When he couldn’t go any farther, others grabbed my wrists and dragged me. Get instant access to discounts, programs, services, and the information you need to benefit every area of your life. I received a Distinguished Service Cross for that battle. And that was the end of the story until more than 50 years later, when a retired Ranger named John Lock read about the battle while researching a book. He thought I should’ve earned a Medal of Honor, the country’s highest military honor, and he pursued that goal for 18 years. There were times when I wasn’t sure whether it was worth pursuing, but when I was finally awarded the Medal of Honor at the White House in May, I couldn’t believe this was happening to me. My Rangers were the ones who did the work. Unfortunately, I’m a little unsteady on my feet these days, and during the White House ceremony, I started weaving. So, I leaned over on President Biden. “Just lean all you want,” he whispered. I’d like to close the gap between the military and the civilian worlds. Unless someone has a loved one who’s seen combat, they may not really . Over the years, I’ve met countless Army Rangers. They’re all just as eager and devoted as we were on that cold Korean hilltop. — As told to Brennen Jensen Retired Army Colonel Ralph Puckett Jr., 94, is a highly decorated veteran of both the Korean and Vietnam wars.

More on Veterans

Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures

Close In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails related to AARP volunteering. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly receive communications related to AARP volunteering. In the meantime, please feel free to search for ways to make a difference in your community at Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.