World War II Honoree

Frederick Edward Fox

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

San Francisco, California

Honored By

Robert Y. Brouwers

Relationship

Grandson

1ST LIEUTENANT. SERVED IN THE SICILIAN CAMPAIGN WITH THE 45TH DIVISION AS A JUNIOR OFFICER. NEAR THE END OF THE CAMPAIGN, HE WAS PART OF LIBERATING HITLER'S OFFICE IN MUNICH. HE SERVED IN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE USING HIS NATIVE BAVARIAN GERMAN LINGUISTIC SKILLS. FOLLOWING THE WAR, HE ASSISTED IN THE PROSECUTIONS AT THE NUREMBERG TRIALS. RETURNED TO SERVICE IN THE U.S. AT THE ADVENT OF THE KOREAN WAR. CHRONICLES OF THE 45TH DIVISION IN WWII: THE 45TH DIVISION LANDED IN NORTH AFRICA JUNE 22, 1943 AND TRAINED AT ARZEW, FRENCH MOROCCO. LANDED IN SICILY JULY 10, IN ITS FIRST MAJOR AMPHIBIOUS OPERATION AND MOVED INLAND UNDER MINOR OPPOSITION. THE ENEMY RESISTED FIERCELY AT MOTTA HILL, JULY 26, BEFORE LOSING THE FOUR-DAY BATTLE OF 'BLOODY RIDGE' ON SEPTEMBER 10, 1943 THE SECOND LANDING AT SALERNO OCCURRED. AGAINST STIFF RESISTANCE, THE 45TH DIVISION PUSHED TO THE CALORE RIVER, SEPTEMBER 27, CROSSED THE VOLTURNO RIVER, NOVEMBER 3 AND TOOK VENAFRO. UNTIL JANUARY 9, 1944 THE DIVISION INCHED FORWARD INTO THE MOUNTAINS REACHING ST. ELIA NORTH OF CASSINO BEFORE MOVING TO A REST AREA. THE 45TH DIVISION LANDED AT ANZIO JANUARY 22, 1944 AND FOR 4 MONTHS STOOD ITS GROUND AGAINST VIOLENT ASSAULTS. IT WENT OVER TO THE ATTACK MAY 23, CROSSED THE TIBER RIVER JUNE 4, OUTFLANKING ROME AND WITHDREW FOR REST AND TRAINING ON JUNE 16. THE 45TH DIVISION PARTICIPATED IN ITS 4TH ASSAULT LANDING AUGUST 15, 1944 AT ST. MAXIME IN SOUTHERN FRANCE. AGAINST SLIGHT OPPOSITION, IT SPEARHEADED THE DRIVE FOR THE BELFORT GAP. IT TOOK THE STRONGLY DEFENDED CITY OF EPINAL SEPTEMBER 24, CROSSED THE MOSELLE RIVER AND ENTERED THE WESTERN FOOTHILLS OF THE VOSGES, TAKING RAMBERVILLERS ON SEPTEMBER 30 AND CROSSING THE MORTAGNE RIVER OCTOBER 23, 1944. THE 45TH DIVISION CRACKED THE FORTS NORTH OF MUTZIG, AN ANCHOR OF THE MAGINOT LINE NOVEMBER 25, CROSSED THE ZINTZEL RIVER AND PUSHED THROUGH THE MAGINOT DEFENSES. FROM JANUARY 2, 1945 THE DIVISION FOUGHT DEFENSIVELY ALONG THE GERMAN BORDER, WITHDRAWING TO THE MODER RIVER. ON FEBRUARY 17, IT WENT BACK FOR REST AND TRAINING. THE DIVISION MOVED NORTH TO THE SARREGUEMINES AREA AND SMASHED AT THE SIEGFRIED LINE MARCH 17 TAKING HOMBURG ON MARCH 21 AND CROSSING THE RHINE BETWEEN WORMS AND HAMM ON MARCH 26. THE ADVANCE CONTINUED, ASCHAFFENBURG FALLING APRIL 3 AND NUREMBERG ON MARCH 20. THE DIVISION CROSSED THE DANUBE APRIL 27, TOOK MUNICH ON MARCH 30 AND AS WAR ENDED WAS STATIONED NEAR DACHAU.