In late 1947, he received orders to sea duty and spent two and a half years aboard the cruiser USS Columbus.

While on patrol in June 1952, he was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism against a vastly superior enemy force.

Puckett covered the withdrawal of his men with submachine gun fire, despite being wounded in the left hand.

After a brief skirmish in hostile territory, they located the missing Marines, two of whom were seriously wounded, and returned them to safety.

In July 1955, he returned to Korea, where he served as an advisor for the Korean Marine Corps until September 1956.

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.