World War II Honoree

John Robert Fox

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Cincinnati, Ohio

Honored By

Elpidio Manoso III (MAJ, US Army Retired)

WWII Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He served in the United States Army as a 1st Lieutenant in Company C, 366th Infantry Regiment, 92nd Infantry Division. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his bravery in action on December 26, 1944 at Sommocolonia, Italy, For extraordinary heroism against an armed enemy. During the preceding few weeks, He served with the 598th Field Artillery Battalion as a forward observer. On Christmas night, enemy soldiers gradually infiltrated the town of Sommocolonia in civilian clothes, and by early morning the town was largely in hostile hands. Commencing with a heavy barrage of enemy artillery at 0400 hours on 26 December 1944, an organized attack by uniformed German units began. Being greatly outnumbered, most of the United States Infantry forces were forced to withdraw from the town, but he and some other members of his observer party voluntarily remained on the second floor of a house to direct defensive artillery fire. At 0800 hours, he reported that the Germans were in the streets and attacking in strength. He then called for defensive artillery fire to slow the enemy advance. As the Germans continued to press the attack towards the area that he occupied, he adjusted the artillery fire closer to his position. Finally he was warned that the next adjustment would bring the deadly artillery right on top of his position. After acknowledging the danger, he insisted that the last adjustment be fired as this was the only way to defeat the attacking soldiers. Later, when a counterattack retook the position from the Germans, his body was found with the bodies of approximately 100 German soldiers. His gallant and courageous actions, at the supreme sacrifice of his own life, contributed greatly to delaying the enemy advance until other infantry and artillery units could reorganize to repel the attack. His extraordinary valorous actions were in keeping with the most cherished traditions of military service, and reflect the utmost credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army. He had been posthumously award the Distinguished Service Medal, but in the early 1990s it was determined that African-American soldiers were denied consideration for the Medal of Honor solely due to their race. After a review, seven African-American soldiers had their Medals upgraded in January, 1997 to the Congressional Medal of Honor, Himself being one of the seven.