Vietnam-war era Medal of Honor recipient retired Marine Col. Wesley Fox will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery Tuesday afternoon, according to the Marine Corps.
Fox had a storied Marine career that spanned 43 years with multiple tours of duty in Vietnam and the Korean War. He passed away at the age of 86 on Nov. 24, 2017.
He was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1971 by President Richard Nixon during a White House ceremony for his heroic actions in Vietnam on February 22, 1969, while serving as a company commander for Company A, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division.
While operating in the A Shau Valley, Quang Tri Province, then 1st Lt. Fox’s company “came under intense fire” from a concealed enemy force, his Medal of Honor citation reads.
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Fox was wounded in the attack but continued to direct his company while “advancing through enemy fire” and personally neutralized one enemy position, according to the citation.
Fox directed air power and after his executive officer was killed, Fox “reorganized the company” and directed their fire as they “drove the hostile forces into retreat.”
Wounded again in the final attack, Fox refused treatment and supervised the medical evacuation of his men.
Fox came into the Corps as an enlisted man, reached the rank of first sergeant in 1966 and subsequently was commissioned a second lieutenant that same year.
He had served as a rifleman, drill instructor at the recruit depot aboard San Diego, California, a recruiter and as a platoon sergeant with the 1st Force Reconnaissance.
Some of his awards include the Medal of Honor, the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” for valor, four purple hearts and the Presidential Unit Citation.
Shawn Snow is the senior reporter for Marine Corps Times and a Marine Corps veteran.
