Ernst Leads the Way for Colonel Ralph Puckett to Lie in Honor at Capitol

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a retired lieutenant colonel of the Iowa Army National Guard, paved the way for America to fully honor the life and legacy of Colonel Ralph Puckett, a veteran of the Korean War and Medal of Honor recipient. Ernst’s bipartisan resolution authorizing the use of the Capitol Rotunda for Puckett to lie in honor passed the Senate with unanimous support.

“Colonel Ralph Puckett earned the nation’s highest military decoration for heroism under fire, and he deserves to be laid to rest with great honor,” Ernst said. “Colonel Puckett’s acts of bravery during the Korean War will continue to inspire generations to come. His legacy extended beyond his actions in combat, as he regularly mentored young servicemembers even after his retirement.

“America and its leaders will now be able to pay their full respects to a hero who selflessly served his country and to remember the men and women who fought during the ‘Forgotten War.’”

Ernst has known Colonel Puckett since the 1990s and celebrated his service and sacrifice during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last month.

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