John R. Fox
John Robert Fox | |
|---|---|
John Fox posthumously received the Medal of Honor in 1997 for actions during World War II | |
| Born | May 18, 1915 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | December 26, 1944 (aged 29) |
| Place of burial | Colebrook Cemetery, Whitman, Massachusetts |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Service years | 1940–1944 |
| Rank | First Lieutenant |
| Unit | 598th Field Artillery Battalion, 366th Infantry Regiment, 92nd Infantry Division |
| Conflicts | World War II |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Bronze Star Purple Heart |
John Robert Fox (May 18, 1915 – December 26, 1944) was a United States Army first lieutenant who was killed in action after calling in artillery fire on the enemy during World War II. In 1997, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military decoration for valor, for his actions on December 26, 1944, in the vicinity of Sommocolonia, Italy. He asked that American artillery fire on his own location; it is believed that he did this because he was in an area overrun with German soldiers.
Fox and six other African Americans who served in World War II were awarded the Medal of Honor on January 12, 1997. The Medal of Honor was posthumously presented to Fox by President Bill Clinton on January 13, 1997, during a Medal of Honor ceremony for the seven recipients at the White House in Washington, D.C. These seven were the only black Medal of Honor recipients for World War II.