John R. Fox facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Robert Fox
John Fox posthumously received the Medal of Honor in 1997 for actions during World War II
Born	(1915-05-18)May 18, 1915 Cincinnati, Ohio
Died	December 26, 1944(1944-12-26) (aged 29) Sommocolonia, Italy
Place of burial	Colebrook Cemetery, Whitman, Massachusetts
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Years of service	1940–1944
Rank	First Lieutenant
Unit	598th Field Artillery Battalion, 366th Infantry Regiment, 92nd Infantry Division
Battles/wars	World War II Italian Campaign   †
Awards	Medal of Honor Bronze Star Purple Heart

John Robert Fox (May 18, 1915 – December 26, 1944) was a brave soldier in the United States Army. He was a First Lieutenant during World War II. He is famous for a heroic act where he called for artillery fire on his own position to stop enemy soldiers. This sacrifice saved many American lives.

In 1997, he was given the Medal of Honor. This is the highest award for bravery in the U.S. military. He received it for his actions on December 26, 1944, in Sommocolonia, Italy. It is believed he called for fire on his own location because German soldiers had surrounded him.

Fox and six other African Americans who fought in World War II received the Medal of Honor on January 12, 1997. President Bill Clinton gave the award to Fox's family on January 13, 1997. This happened at a special ceremony at the White House in Washington, D.C. These seven soldiers are the only Black Americans to receive the Medal of Honor for their service in World War II.

Early Life and Military Training

John Fox was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on May 18, 1915. He was the oldest of three children. He grew up in Wyoming, Ohio. Later, he went to Ohio State University.

He then transferred to Wilberforce University. There, he joined the ROTC program. This program trains college students to become military officers. He learned from Captain Aaron R. Fisher, a hero from World War I. Fox finished college with an engineering degree. In 1941, he became a U.S. Army second lieutenant.

Serving in World War II

During World War II, Lieutenant Fox was part of the 92nd Infantry Division. This division was known as the Buffalo Soldiers. It was a separate unit for African American soldiers at that time. Lt. Fox worked as a forward observer for the 598th Artillery Battalion. His job was to help direct artillery fire for the 366th Infantry Regiment.

On December 26, 1944, Fox was in the Italian village of Sommocolonia. He was part of a small group that volunteered to stay behind. American forces had to leave the village because German soldiers had taken over. From a house, Fox called in artillery fire to defend their position.

A Heroic Sacrifice

As the German soldiers kept attacking, Fox asked the artillery to fire closer to his position. Finally, he gave a shocking order: to fire directly on his own location. His friend, Lt. Otis Zachary, received the message. He knew Fox would likely not survive.

But Fox bravely said, "Fire it! There's more of them than there are of us. Give them hell!" The artillery shells then hit Fox's position. This action killed Fox and about 100 German soldiers around him. Fox's sacrifice bought time for the U.S. forces. They were able to plan a counterattack. The village was taken back by January 1, 1945.

Fox was buried in Colebrook Cemetery in Whitman, Massachusetts. In 1982, he was given the Distinguished Service Cross. This was a high award, given after his initial recommendation had been lost.

Medal of Honor Recognition

In the early 1990s, the U.S. Army realized that Black soldiers might not have been fairly considered for the Medal of Honor in World War II. This was due to racial discrimination. In 1993, the Army asked Shaw University to study this issue. The study found that there was indeed unfair treatment.

In 1996, the study suggested that ten African American veterans from World War II should receive the Medal of Honor. In October 1996, Congress passed a law. This law allowed President Bill Clinton to give these awards. Seven of the ten soldiers, including Lt. Fox, were approved. Six of them had their Distinguished Service Crosses changed to the Medal of Honor. This happened on January 12, 1997.

A day later, President Clinton held a formal ceremony. He presented the Medal of Honor to the seven soldiers. Six of the awards were given after the soldiers had died. Their family members accepted the medals. Fox's widow received the Medal of Honor on his behalf. Vernon Baker was the only living soldier to receive the medal at that time.

Other Ways John Fox is Honored

After the war, the people of Sommocolonia built a monument. It honors nine men who died during the artillery attack. These included eight Italian soldiers and Lt. Fox.

In 2005, the toy company Hasbro created a 12-inch action figure. It honored Lt. John R. Fox as part of its G.I. Joe Medal-of-Honor series.

On July 16, 2000, Sommocolonia dedicated a peace park. It was named in memory of Fox and his military unit.

American Legion Post 631, in Fox's hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio, is also named after Lt. Fox.

Military Awards and Decorations

Here are some of the awards and decorations John Fox received:

See also

• List of African-American Medal of Honor recipients
• Final protective fire
• Winter Line