Medal of
Honor
Vietnam
Wesley Fox is a patriotic American who dedicated 43 years of his life to service in the uniform of the United States Marine Corps. As a young corporal he served in Korea where he was wounded in action. Over the following sixteen years he worked his way through all of the enlisted ranks from the lowest private to First Sergeant.
While most servicemen would relish the accomplishment of rising through each of the enlisted ranks and choose to sit out a few more years to retirement, Wesley Fox used that opportunity to start all over. From second lieutenant he began working his way up through the ranks of a Marine Corps officer, serving in his second war in Vietnam as a First Lieutenant in command of a company in the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines (1/9). The men of 1/9 called themselves the "Walking Dead", a nickname that proved all too realistic during one of the Marine Corps' last major offensives of the Vietnam War. Lieutenant Fox was serving his second tour of duty in his second war, when he lead the "Walking Dead" of his company during Operation Dewey Canyon.
During the course of the three month operation, Lieutenant Fox's Alpha Company suffered 75% casualties, the company commander among them. Despite his wounds, Lieutenant Fox continued to lead his Marines in battle, subsequently being awarded our Nation's highest award for military heroism, the Medal of Honor. His award was presented to him at the White House in 1971 by President Richard M. Nixon. By the time of his award, Wesley Fox had risen to the rank of Captain.
Electing to remain in the Corps, Wesley Fox retired only after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 62. By that time he had served 43 years in uniform, and had a unique distinction of working his way through each and every Marine Corps rank from private to colonel.
It is with great pleasure that we welcome Colonel Wesley Fox, USMC (Retired) to the Hall of Heroes. Please use the links at left to visit his site and meet a true American hero, and a Marine's Marine.
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