State Funeral for War Veterans Calls for Col Ralph Puckett, last Medal of Honor recipient from Korean to Lie in Capitol

State Funeral for World War II Veterans Set the Precedent for Col. Puckett by obtaining the same honors for Hershel Woody Williams in 2022

DALLAS, TEXAS , UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, April 15, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- State Funeral for World War II Veterans www.worldwar2salute.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday April 11, 2024

MEDIA CONTACTS

David Oates: Press Representative (858) 750-5560 David@publicrelationssecurity.com
Dr. Danny Reeves: National Board Member (903) 641-8840

State Funeral for War Veterans Mourns the Death of the Last Medal of Honor Recipient from the Korean War,
Col. Ralph Puckett Jr. of Georgia

Dallas, Texas –April 11, 2024 – The State Funeral for War Veterans organization, active in all 50 states, mourns the death of the last Medal of Honor recipient from the Korean War, Col. Ralph Puckett. The next to last Medal of Honor recipient from Korea was our National Board Member, Mr. Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura.

A 1943 graduate of the Baylor Prep School of Chattanooga, Tennessee, Col Puckett received the Medal of Honor for a heroic action on Hill 205 in Korea in November of 1950. Responsible for a 51-man unit, over the course of two days he directed mortar, machine gun and small arms fire against Communist Chinese soldiers. Puckett received multiple wounds and ordered his men to leave him behind and evacuate, but his men refused to leave him.

State Funeral for War Veterans has a simple, original and powerful mission:

"To convince Congress to pass legislation to grant a State Funeral for the last Medal of Honor recipients from the Korean War and the Vietnam War, as a final to salute to all who served."

146 United States military personnel received the Medal of Honor for valor in combat during the Korean War. Ralph Puckett, Jr. of Georgia was the last to be “reassigned to heaven.’ Of the 5.7 million men and women who served in Korea during the war, less than 500,000 are still alive.

Two of Col Puckett’s fellow Medal of Honor recipients serve on the board of State Funeral for War Veterans, Donald E. Ballard and James C. McCloughan.

The organization was formerly “State Funeral for World War II Veterans”. On July 14, 2022 it fulfilled its original objective when the last Medal of Honor recipient from World War II received a National Funeral in Washington, D.C. The first ceremony was in the Rotunda of the Capitol, where the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Senate Minority Leader spoke. The second service, later that day, was before a crowd of 1,000 at the World War II Memorial, and was attended by seven Medal of Honor recipients.

Mrs. Jeannie Puckett, the wife of the Col. Ralph Puckett, the last MOH holder from Korea, said “Thank you for all your group did for Woody Williams and his family. It was a beautiful national tribute to him and to all service members. It set a precedent for the last Medal of Honor recipients from Korean, Vietnam and the War on Terror. “

State Funeral for War Veterans National Board member Brent Casey of Kentucky said “If it was not for State Funeral for World War II Veterans success in getting my grandfather Woody Williams to lie in honor in the Capitol, there would be no precedent to do this for Col Puckett.
And, the second service that day at the National World War II Monument was a vital part of the honors my grandfather received. The United States Marine Corp made that happen and Dr Danny Reeves of our board did a great job with the innvocation. “

Medal of Honor holder James C McCloughan said “Bill McNutt and his daughter Rabel are the co-founders of this organization that has already honored the World War II generation. We would like our Korean War Veterans to be remembered in a similar fashion and we lobbying the speaker of the House, Mike Johnson will agree with us. “ Other noted National Board members include Mr. Scott Mexic, Mr. Ron Ramseyer, Mr. Morris Kahn and Mr. Adam Crepelle.

“Our nationwide organization is in the same position today as when the last WWII MOH hero Hershel “Woody” Williams died in the summer of 2022. This death focused our efforts on getting the Speaker of the House of Representatives Congressman Mike Johnson, to say ‘yes’ to allowing Col Puckett to lie in honor in the rotunda of our capitol. Our chairs in all 50 states will now move forward with renewed faith and determination to gain the same honors for Col. Ralph Puckett of Georgia that we obtained for the last MOH recipient from World War II.”

The idea for a State Funeral for the last Medal of Honor recipients from American wars came from an unlikely source, a Texas public school student, Rabel McNutt. She originated the idea while preparing to attend the funeral of her Godfather, Walt Ehlers, who received his Medal of Honor fighting the Germans in Normandy, France following D-Day in 1944.

The State Funeral for War Veterans Organization is recruiting a State Board of Directors in all 50 states. Patriotic Americans who wish to honor Korean War and Vietnam War Veterans should contact our National Leadership recruitment chairman, Dr. Danny Reeves at danny@fbccorsicana.org

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About State Funeral for War Veterans
Originally established as State Funeral for World War II Veterans, today the organization exists to convince Congress to pass legislation to designate a single state funeral for the last Medal of Honor holder from the Korean War and another for the last MOH recipient from the Vietnam War, as a final salute to the 5.7 million who served in Korea and the 2.6 million who served in Vietnam.

Bill McNutt
State Funeral for War Veterans
+1 214 537 9311
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