Donald D. Pucket

Pucket joined the Army from Boulder, Colorado in 1942,[1] and by July 9, 1944, was a first lieutenant piloting bombers with the 98th Bombardment Group.[2] Aged 28 at his death, Pucket was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in Saint Louis, Missouri.[3] First Lieutenant Pucket's official Medal of Honor citation reads: He took part in a highly effective attack against vital oil installation in Ploesti, Rumania, on 9 July 1944.The airplane was badly damaged, 2 were knocked out, the control cables cut, the oxygen system on fire, and the bomb bay flooded with gas and hydraulic fluid.Ignoring their entreaties to follow, he refused to abandon the 3 hysterical men and was last seen fighting to regain control of the plane.
Longmont, ColoradoPloieştiJefferson Barracks National CemeterySaint Louis, MissouriUnited States of AmericaUnited States Army Air Forces343rd Bombardment Squadron98th Bombardment GroupWorld War IIMedal of HonorDistinguished Flying CrossAir MedalPurple HeartUnited States military'sBoulder, ColoradobombersRomaniaanti-aircraftparachuteAir MedalsArmy Air Forces Pilot Badgeoak leaf clustersAmerican Campaign MedalEuropean–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medalcampaign starWorld War II Victory MedalArmy Presidential Unit Citationhydraulic fluidList of Medal of Honor recipients for World War IIUnited States Army Center of Military HistoryTillman, BarrettSmithsonian Institution Press