Posted on 05/21/2021 1:50:57 PM PDT by Coronal
President Joe Biden presented the Medal of Honor to Ralph Puckett Jr., a 94-year-old retired US Army Ranger who led the defense against six Chinese assaults on a frozen hill in the Korean War.
Ralph Puckett Jr. -- a United States Army Ranger who led the defense against six Chinese assaults on a frozen hill in the Korean War -- was presented with America's highest military award, the Medal of Honor, by President Joe Biden on Friday.
Biden said that Puckett's initial reaction to receiving the Medal of Honor was to ask, 'Why all the fuss? Can't they just mail it to me?' Biden said that after waiting more than 70 years to be recognized for his heroics, the ceremony was well-deserved.
'Col. Puckett, after 70 years rather than mail it to you I would have walked it to you,' Biden said. 'Your lifetime of service to our nation I think deserves a little bit of fuss.'
On November 25, 1950, the then-first lieutenant led a company of 51 US and nine South Korean soldiers against Chinese forces on what was called Hill 205, according to an award citation from the White House and an oral history given by Puckett.
In the initial daylight assault on the hill, Puckett repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire, rallying pinned down US troops to advance and take 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.
It was estimated that hundreds of Chinese troops were involved in the attack against Puckett's group of five dozen, he said a video recorded for Witness to War, a compilation of oral histories from veterans.
(Excerpt) Read more at waaytv.com ...
RLTW
strange times a medal given by a communist for fighting communists
For the infantry, Korea was rough.
Imagine it’s 2:00AM, you’re in a foxhole, it’s 10 below zero.
All of a sudden, you hear bugles blaring and you look up and in the darkness you can barely make out hundreds of Chinese soldiers, hopped up on methamphetamines, running down a hill yelling and screaming with fixed bayonets.
I can’t imagine what it was like.
“President Joe Biden presented the Medal of Honor to Ralph Puckett Jr., a 94-year-old retired US Army Ranger”
Any reason why it took so long? Would have been nice if he got to enjoy his (super) well-earned honor a bit earlier!
I remember one tale told by a guy who defended against at least one of those attacks that afterward the parts of his rifle stock that faced the barrel were charred, and his shoulder was numb for several days and black-and-blue for several weeks.
I listened to a podcast interview with a Korean War vet who earned the CMH for attacking an entrenched Chicom position - basically single-handedly - returning to his own lines for more ammo and phosphorus grenades, and then attacking the position again. He made the comment that a man could be shot three or four times and still live long enough to kill you, but if you hit them with the white phosphorus then the game was over.
51 US and 9 South Korean = total of 60 soldiers. This is a half strength company by today’s standards. And some really long odds.
Well deserved recognition.
My dad was a Navy doc at Chosin Reservoir where this took place. He said the surgeons would warm up their hands in the open chests of the mortally wounded.
My friend was there in that battle and he was the only survivor of a group of Marines where he played dead underneath dead biodies for eight hours until rescued. He said tho body on top of him had the guys brains laying on his face. He was asked to be interviewed for a documentary about the battle but wouldn’t do it years later. It got down to -40 degrees there
Colonel Ralph Puckett Jr. greatly deserved the Congressional Medal of Honor, which he should have been awarded much earlier!!!!
And it was too bad that he had to accept the award from a fake president, who came to power via a stolen election!!!!
At age 94, Col. Puckett almost certainly has retained much more of his mental capacity than the demented 78-year-old biden! He probably knows what a fraud and a danger to the Republic biden and his Politburo are!!!
When the award ceremony was over, and Col. Puckett was well out of earshot, he might have issued a disgusted PHOOEY to that whole mangy crew!!!!
“Any reason why it took so long? Would have been nice if he got to enjoy his (super) well-earned honor a bit earlier! ...”
It always take too long.
My best friend received a Silver Star in 2006 for an action in Vietnam in 1968. He died of cancer 6 days after the medal arrived. He retrieved a cobra gunship that had been downed by enemy fire and limped it back to friendly territory a mile at a time while being chased by enemy solders. The helo had lost all its oil and coolant and could only fly about a mile at a time before overheating. He would fly it 1 mile, set it down and watch the gauges until it was cool enough to fly again. He did this many times until he got back to safety.
I watched this on the Internet. The Colonel was in uniform, standing close to attention. Someone put his walker in front of him to hold so he could stand easier. The Colonel grabbed it with both hands and almost threw it to the side. He did not need it to stand for this.
We need more like him today.
So amazing how time after time throughout US Military history young guys have taken it on themselves to do heroic tasks in seemingly impossible situations when they didn’t have to. They just DID IT! God bless your friend!
GREAT line !
Low temperature at Choisin was -36 F.
So you have a woman Marine General. What is her story?
Would General’s Puller and Krulack approve?
Should have told Biden “No thanks! I’ll wait for a legitimate commander in Chief, you vote stealing senile fraud!”
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