Army.mil Editor’s Note: This press release was written by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. — 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, Connecticut.
Capt. 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, Missouri) where he was designated as an All-American swimmer. Selected for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, he graduated 18th in his class in 1965. While there, Bucha was on the swim and 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.
Learn more about the Medal of Honor and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s initiatives at cmohs.org.
