Paul William Bucha (August 1, 1943 – July 31, 2024) was an American Vietnam War veteran and a recipient of the Medal of Honor.

[4] An all-American swimmer in high school, Bucha was offered athletic scholarships to several universities but turned them down and attended the United States Military Academy at West Point.

After graduation he earned a Master of Business Administration at Stanford University before beginning his military career at Fort Campbell.

[2] The area was believed to be a North Vietnamese stronghold and Bucha's unit was tasked with seeking out and engaging the enemy forces.

On the afternoon of March 18, the company's lead group of about twelve men stumbled upon a full North Vietnamese army battalion that had stopped to camp for the night.

The next morning, as the North Vietnamese forces withdrew, he led a party to rescue those soldiers who had been cut off from the rest of the company.

[5] Once his tour in the Vietnam War ended in April 1970, Bucha returned to the United States and taught Political Science at West Point.

Bucha distinguished himself while serving as commanding officer, Company D, on a reconnaissance-in-force mission against enemy forces near Phuoc Vinh.

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.

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.

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.

Using flashlights in complete view of enemy snipers, he directed the medical evacuation of 3 air-ambulance loads of seriously wounded personnel and the helicopter supply of his company.

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.