Earned Nation's Highest Award for Valor during
the Vietnam War
MOUNT
PLEASANT, S.C., July 31,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Congressional Medal of
Honor Society regretfully announces that Paul W. "Bud" Bucha, Medal
of Honor Recipient, passed away Wednesday,
July 31, 2024, at the age of 80 in West Haven, CT.
Captain Bucha distinguished himself by his extraordinary
leadership March 16-18, 1968, near
Phuoc Vinh, Binh Duong Province,
Vietnam. When his reconnaissance
mission encountered an overwhelming enemy attack, Bucha led from
the front, destroying an enemy bunker solo while under heavy fire.
He also directed artillery fire and moved throughout the position,
distributing ammunition, providing encouragement, and ensuring the
integrity of the defense. During the night, under view of enemy
snipers, he led the evacuation of the wounded using a
flashlight.
Bucha was presented the Medal of Honor by President Richard M. Nixon on May
14, 1970, in a ceremony at the White House in Washington, D.C. In 2007, he said, "The medal
that I wear, I wear on behalf of others, not myself."
Bucha was born in Washington,
D.C., on August 1, 1943, to an
Army officer father. He attended Ladue
Horton Watkins High School (Ladue,
MO) where he was designated as an All-American swimmer.
Selected for the U.S. Military Academy at West
Point, NY, he graduated 18th in his class in
1965. While there, Bucha was on the Swim & Diving team and
again achieved All-American status twice as part of the 400 Free
Relay. He was also captain of the team his senior year, 1964-1965.
He then earned a Master of Business Administration from
Stanford University before beginning
his Army service.
Leaving the Army in 1972, he became prominent in business
ventures, veterans support organizations, and politics. He served
on the Board of Directors for the Congressional Medal of Honor
Society as President from 1995 to 1999 and Immediate Past President
from 1999 to 2001. Bucha unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 1993,
but maintained a strong interest in politics and served a foreign
policy advisor for President Barack
Obama's 2008 Presidential campaign.
He is survived by his wife, Cynthia, and four children. Burial
arrangements are pending.
There are 60 Medal of Honor Recipients alive today.
About the Congressional Medal of Honor
Society
The Congressional Medal of Honor Society, a
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is dedicated to preserving the
legacy of the Medal of Honor (the United States' highest award for
military valor in action) and its Recipients, inspiring Americans
to live the values the Medal represents, and supporting Recipients
as they connect with communities across America. Chartered by
Congress in 1958, the Society's membership consists exclusively of
those individuals who have received the Medal of Honor.
The Society carries out its mission through outreach, education,
and preservation programs, including the Medal of Honor Character
Development Program, Citizen Honors Awards, and The Medal of Honor
Museum.
The Society's programs and operations are fully funded by
generous donors. Learn more about the Medal of Honor and
the Congressional Medal of Honor Society's initiatives
at cmohs.org.
Contact: Chad Graham
mohcomms@cmohs.org
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SOURCE Congressional Medal of Honor Society