Paul W Bucha
Paul was born on the 1st of August 1943, in Washington, DC, and moved around a lot with his family due to his father being an Army officer. After graduating from high school in 1961, Paul chose to attend the US Military Academy at West Point, where his father dropped him off and told him he would see him again at graduation. He graduated in the top five percent of his class and then attended Stanford University for his master’s degree. Paul was able to attend Airborne and Ranger schools during the summer break before receiving his MBA. He deployed to the Republic of Vietnam in 1967 as a Second Lieutenant with the 187th Infantry and after thirty days was promoted to First Lieutenant. Then thirty days after that, Paul was given command of his first company, which consisted of only himself. He would report his company, by himself, and do formations, by himself, and eventually the company would be filled in with what Paul called the rejects from other companies. They received the nickname, “The Clerks and The Jerks”, and Paul was the only member of the company whose first time it was in country. It was his actions on the 18th of March 1968 that would later earn him the Medal of Honor. The citation reads:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Capt. Bucha distinguished himself while serving as commanding officer, Company D, on a reconnaissance-in-force mission against enemy forces near Phuoc Vinh. The company was inserted by helicopter into the suspected enemy stronghold to locate and destroy the enemy. During this period Capt. Bucha aggressively and courageously led his men in the destruction of enemy fortifications and base areas and eliminated scattered resistance impeding the advance of the company. On 18 March while advancing to contact, the lead elements of the company became engaged by the heavy automatic-weapon, heavy machine-gun, rocket-propelled-grenade, claymore-mine and small-arms fire of an estimated battalion-size force. Capt. Bucha, with complete disregard for his safety, moved to the threatened area to direct the defense and ordered reinforcements to the aid of the lead element. Seeing that his men were pinned down by heavy machine-gun fire from a concealed bunker located some 40 meters to the front of the positions, Capt. Bucha crawled through the hail of fire to singlehandedly destroy the bunker with grenades. During this heroic action Capt. Bucha received a painful shrapnel wound. Returning to the perimeter, he observed that his unit could not hold its positions and repel the human wave assaults launched by the determined enemy. Capt. Bucha ordered the withdrawal of the unit elements and covered the withdrawal to positions of a company perimeter from which he could direct fire upon the charging enemy. When one friendly element retrieving casualties was ambushed and cut off from the perimeter, Capt. Bucha ordered them to feign death and he directed artillery fire around them. During the night Capt. Bucha moved throughout the position, distributing ammunition, providing encouragement, and insuring the integrity of the defense. He directed artillery, helicopter-gunship and Air Force-gunship fire on the enemy strong points and attacking forces, marking the positions with smoke grenades. Using flashlights in complete view of enemy snipers, he directed the medical evacuation of three air-ambulance loads of seriously wounded personnel and the helicopter supply of his company. At daybreak Capt. Bucha led a rescue party to recover the dead and wounded members of the ambushed element. During the period of intensive combat, Capt. Bucha, by his extraordinary heroism, inspirational example, outstanding leadership, and professional competence, led his company in the decimation of a superior enemy force which left 156 dead on the battlefield. His bravery and gallantry at the risk of his life are in the highest traditions of the military service. Capt. Bucha has reflected great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
After his deployment, Paul returned to West Point to teach and in April of 1970, he received a call informing him that the Distinguished Service Cross that he had earned from his actions was being upgraded to the Medal of Honor. Paul said that he didn’t deserve it and even said that he would turn it down. He was told that it wasn’t his medal to turn down. On the 14th of May 1970, Paul received the Medal of Honor from President Nixon in a ceremony at the White House along with eleven others.
Paul left the Army in 1972 and worked for Ross Perot’s company, Electronic Data Systems, as well as starting his own investing company, and served on the board of Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation and as the president of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Paul William Bucha is 79 years old as of this recording, and he resides in Ridgefield, Connecticut with his wife, Cynthia, with whom he has four children.
