âA true heroâ: Biden awards Medal of Honor to 94-year-old Korean War veteran By Darlene Superville Col. Ralph Puckett awarded Medal of Honor for his valor President Joe Biden awarded the Medal of Honor to Col. Ralph Puckett for his valiant efforts and bravery during the Korean War. WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden awarded his first Medal of Honor on Wednesday to a retired colonel for acts of bravery during the Korean War. Biden bestowed the nation's most prestigious military honor on retired Col. Ralph Puckett Jr., who held Hill 205, a strategic position near Unsan, over two days in November 1950 while fighting off numerous attacks during the battle in which he endured multiple wounds.