Congress honors deceased Korean War hero with lying in honor ceremony
Time:2024-04-30 11:46:26 Source:politicsViews(143)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress gave one of its highest final tributes on Monday — a lying in honor ceremony at the Capitol — to Ralph Puckett Jr., who led an outnumbered company in battle during the Korean War and was the last surviving veteran of that war to receive the Medal of Honor.
Puckett, who retired as an Army colonel, died earlier this month at the age of 97 at his home in Columbus, Georgia. He was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2021, the nation’s highest military honor, seven decades after his actions during the wartime.
The lying in honor ceremony at the Capitol is reserved for the nation’s most distinguished private citizens. Only seven others have received the honor, and the latest, in 2022, was Hershel W. “Woody” Williams, who was the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II. The ceremonies for both Williams and Puckett were meant to also recognize the broader generations of veterans who are now dwindling in numbers.
You may also like
- Dead infant found at Florida university campus; police investigating
- Punxsutawney Phil and wife Phyllis are parents of 2 babies
- Astronauts from Turkey, Italy and Sweden return to Earth, ending private space station trip
- In many African countries, abortions are legal. But information and access can be hard to come by
- University of Arizona student shot to death at off
- No, OJ Simpson did not admit on X to the 1994 killings of his ex
- Intuitive Machines: Odysseus Moon lander 'tipped over on touchdown'
- Swedish appeals court rules space rock should stay with the owner of the property where it landed
- Sandra Bullock's teen son Louis towers over her during rare outing in West Hollywood