the newly established Drill Instructor School. He graduated first in his class and was retained by the school as an instructor. In July 1955, he returned to Korea, where he served as an advisor for the Korean Marine Corps until September 1956. He was promoted to master sergeant in October 1955. Returning to Camp Pendleton he was assigned as a company First Sergeant and later as regimental operations chief with the 2nd Infantry Training Regiment. During his tour there, he was promoted to first sergeant. Puckett became the First Sergeant of Marine Barracks, Pearl Harbor in April 1959 and was promoted to sergeant major in February 1960. In May 1962, he returned to Camp Pendleton as Sergeant Major of the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division and in April 1964 was assigned to the 3rd Battalion 5th Marines. He went to Vietnam with that battalion (redesignated the 1st Battalion 3rd Marines) in September 1965. Following a two-year tour on the Inspector-Instructor Staff, 3rd Battalion 23rd Marines, 4th Marine Division in San Bruno, California, he returned to duty in Vietnam, serving as the Sergeant Major of the 7th Marines. Puckett was reassigned to Camp H. M. Smith, Hawaii, in September 1969 and served there until July 1970 when he was ordered to duty at Headquarters Marine Corps. He had been the Personnel Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps until he assumed duties as Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps on 1 February 1973. He retired from the Marine Corps on May 31, 1975. Later life Puckett died on September 3, 2002, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Awards and decorations Puckett's military decorations include: Navy Cross citation The Navy Cross is presented to Clinton A. Puckett (560129), Technical Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as a Platoon Sergeant of Company G, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in the Republic of Korea on the night of 21 June 1952. With his patrol unit occupying positions well forward of a friendly outpost when a vastly outnumbering enemy force suddenly pinned down the patrol by enveloping both flanks with small-arms and grenade fire, Staff Sergeant Puckett repeatedly exposed himself to the devastating fire in order to cover the withdrawal of his men. Employing a submachine gun to harass