Uploaded October 2013 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
Wes Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps shortly before his 19th birthday, on August 4, 1950 during the Korean War and served 45 years as a Marine.
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USMC Ballcap
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He served an additional eight years as an ROTC instructor before retiring into civilian life. He completed recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris, Island, South Carolina. Serving as a rifleman with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, he was wounded in action in Korea on September 8, 1951 and sent to the U.S. Navy Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V". He recovered in 1952 and was sent back to Korea in 1954 as a Platoon Sergeant with Company G, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. When he returned home from Korea, he was assigned to duty as both a drill instructor from 1955 to 1957 and a recruiter from 1957 to 1960. He was promoted to First Sergeant in May 1966. Shortly afterwards, he was commissioned as a Marine Second Lieutenant.
Fox served in the Vietnam War for 13 months as an adviser to the Vietnamese Marine Corps. In November 1968, he became company commander of Company A, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines until May 1969. During Operation Dewey Canyon in Quang Tri Province, he was wounded twice on February 22, 1969. He was wounded the first time in the shoulder when his company was attacked by a large enemy force. 1st Lieutenant (then) Fox then personally neutralized one enemy emplacement and directed his company to destroy others. After his company's executive officer was mortally wounded, he continued to direct the company's actions, ordering air strikes and coordinating the advance until the enemy retreated. Fox, the only officer left in his company capable of resistance, was wounded again in the final assault but refused medical attention while he reorganized his troops and prepared the wounded for evacuation. For his heroic actions that day he was presented the Medal of Honor by President Richard Nixon on March 2, 1971.
He retired from the Marine Corps as a full colonel in September 1993 at the mandatory age of 62. He held every enlisted rank except Sergeant Major and every officer rank except General. He continued to wear the uniform for eight more years as a deputy commandant of cadets for the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets. During his time at Virginia Tech, Fox spoke of his experiences to America's next generation of military officers, business executives, and civic leaders.
Fox has written a book about his experiences in the military, Marine Rifleman: Forty-Three Years in the Corps (ISBN 1-57488-425-5), and was featured on the 2003 PBS program American Valor.
Fox resides in Blacksburg, Virginia, with his wife, Dotti (formerly Dotti Lu Bossinger). They have three daughters.
This is a 1985 film produced by the Department of Defense for the United States Marine Corps.
Defense Department Video
AR AB 624/35/336
Public Domain
Wes Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps shortly before his 19th birthday, on August 4, 1950 during the Korean War and served 45 years as a Marine.
#ad
USMC Ballcap
amzn.to/3ZdLGHy
He served an additional eight years as an ROTC instructor before retiring into civilian life. He completed recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris, Island, South Carolina. Serving as a rifleman with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, he was wounded in action in Korea on September 8, 1951 and sent to the U.S. Navy Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V". He recovered in 1952 and was sent back to Korea in 1954 as a Platoon Sergeant with Company G, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. When he returned home from Korea, he was assigned to duty as both a drill instructor from 1955 to 1957 and a recruiter from 1957 to 1960. He was promoted to First Sergeant in May 1966. Shortly afterwards, he was commissioned as a Marine Second Lieutenant.
Fox served in the Vietnam War for 13 months as an adviser to the Vietnamese Marine Corps. In November 1968, he became company commander of Company A, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines until May 1969. During Operation Dewey Canyon in Quang Tri Province, he was wounded twice on February 22, 1969. He was wounded the first time in the shoulder when his company was attacked by a large enemy force. 1st Lieutenant (then) Fox then personally neutralized one enemy emplacement and directed his company to destroy others. After his company's executive officer was mortally wounded, he continued to direct the company's actions, ordering air strikes and coordinating the advance until the enemy retreated. Fox, the only officer left in his company capable of resistance, was wounded again in the final assault but refused medical attention while he reorganized his troops and prepared the wounded for evacuation. For his heroic actions that day he was presented the Medal of Honor by President Richard Nixon on March 2, 1971.
He retired from the Marine Corps as a full colonel in September 1993 at the mandatory age of 62. He held every enlisted rank except Sergeant Major and every officer rank except General. He continued to wear the uniform for eight more years as a deputy commandant of cadets for the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets. During his time at Virginia Tech, Fox spoke of his experiences to America's next generation of military officers, business executives, and civic leaders.
Fox has written a book about his experiences in the military, Marine Rifleman: Forty-Three Years in the Corps (ISBN 1-57488-425-5), and was featured on the 2003 PBS program American Valor.
Fox resides in Blacksburg, Virginia, with his wife, Dotti (formerly Dotti Lu Bossinger). They have three daughters.
This is a 1985 film produced by the Department of Defense for the United States Marine Corps.
Defense Department Video
AR AB 624/35/336
Public Domain
