Puckett, who retired from the Army as a colonel in 1971 and became the national programs coordinator of Outward Bound Inc., continued to stay involved in the Ranger community in the following decades as an icon and mentor, earning induction into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame in 1992 and serving from 1996 to 2005 as the first Honorary Colonel of the 75th Ranger Regiment.
A statement released by the White House on Wednesday underscored Puckett s daring and heroism in Korea more than 70 years ago.
During a daylight attack on a rise called Hill 205 on Nov. 25, 1950, Puckett s 8th U.S. Army Ranger Company took incoming mortar, machine-gun and small-arms fire.
As Afghanistan War Ends, General Sees New Opportunities for Special Operations
U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Richard D. Clarke (left) is promoted to general, ahead of taking command of U.S. Special Operations Command, Tampa, Florida, March 29, 2019. (DoD/Lisa Ferdinando)
18 May 2021
The end of the war in Afghanistan will spark a new era of opportunities for U.S. Special Operations Command, or SOCOM, to prepare for the future, Army Gen. Richard Clarke said Tuesday.
During his keynote address at the virtual 2021 Special Operations Forces Industry Conference, Clarke, the commanding general of SOCOM, said that the command must adjust to changing threats now that the nation s longest war is coming to a close.