State Funeral for War Veterans Praises Speaker of the House Mike Johnson; Col. Puckett Shall Lie In Honor April 29, 2024
Medal of Honor Recipient from Korea, Hershey Miyamura
Co Founder of State Funeral for War Veterans Rabel McNutt with State Funeral Board member Hershey Miyamura
Ron Ramseyer, Founding Board Member, State Funeral for War Veterans with Rabel McNutt & Hershey Miyamura
Korean Medal of Honor Recipient will be Honored with the Help of a Young girl from Dallas, Rabel McNutt
DALLAS, TX, USA, April 25, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The State Funeral for War Veterans organization, active in all 50 states, praises the announcement of Speaker Mike Johnson that the last Medal of Honor recipient from the Korean War, Col. Ralph Puckett, will lie in honor in the Rotunda of the Capitol in Washington, D.C. this coming Monday April 29, 2024.
The idea that Col. Puckett would lie in honor is remarkable in and of itself, but how it happened is a remarkable story too. The idea for a National Funeral for the last Medal of Honor recipients came from an unlikely source, a Dallas schoolgirl, 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.
“When the last MOH man from World War II, Hershel Woody Williams, was allowed to lie in honor in the Capitol in 2022, it set the precedent that the final Medal of Honor recipient from other conflicts, like Col Puckett for the Korean War, be allowed the same honor” said Medal of Honor holder James “Doc” McCloughan.
Originally established as State Funeral for World War II Veterans, today the organization exits to convince Congress to honor the last Medal of Honor holder from each conflict as a final salute, starting with the Korean War.
Idea originator Rabel McNutt, now a 10th grader at The Hockaday School in Dallas, said: “I got to know Korean Medal of Honor Recipient Hershey Miyamura, who was on our board of directors. He taught me that the men and women who serve in the forgotten war on the Korean peninsular deserved to be honored just as much as the men and women of World War II. Now, with the decision of Speaker Johnson they will be. Thank you speaker Johnson, All Americans with grandparents and parents who served in Korea owe him a big thanks.”
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.
The successful effort of State Funeral for World War II Veterans took 5 years and was driven by the organizations 50 State Chairs who achieved the following:
- 16 state legislatures passed resolutions to encourage the final MOH recipient from WWII to have a national funeral at the Capitol in Washington, D.C.
- 15 state Congressional Delegation letters of support
- 11 letters of endorsement from state Governors
- Resolution of support passed by the American Legion at their 100th convention
- Letters of support from the Marine Corps League, Military Order of the Purple Heart, many VFW posts, and other Veteran’s organizations
Former head of the Texas Baptist Convention and National Board Member for State Funeral for War Veterans said, “It took five years of hard work to organize patriots in all 50 states to push for honoring all the men and women who served through a National Funeral for the last Medal of Honor recipient. Without Woody Williams lying in honor, the last Medal of Honor holder from the Korean War could not have this honor that he richly deserves. “
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, 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.
Brent Casey of Kentucky, grandson of Hershel “Woody” Williams said, “My grandfather admired young Rabel McNutt. She always ran up and gave him a big hug and exhibited a love for her country through her charity work for Veterans.” Her grandfather L William McNutt, Jr. was an Army Sergeant in World War II, who built the Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana, Texas an international company following the war.
Medal of Honor holder Donald Ballard said, “Bill McNutt and his daughter Rabel are the co-founders of this organization that has already honored the World War II generation. We are happy Speaker Mike Johnson choose to allow Col. Puckett and the Korean Veterans the same honors.”
Other noted National Board members include Mr. Scott Mexic, Mr. Ron Ramseyer, Mr. Morris Kahn, Dr. Danny Reeves, and Mr. Adam Crepelle.
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 national funeral for the last Medal of Honor Recipient from the Korean and Vietnam Wars, as a final salute to the millions who served.
Bill McNutt
State Funeral for War Veterans
214 537 9311
email us here
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