thedrifter
05-12-07, 06:35 AM
Sharing 43 years of lessons learned
CHRISSY VICK
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Retired Col. Wes Fox is one of just 19 living Medal of Honor recipients who are Marines.
He recently Fox visited Camp Lejeune to tell about it.
Fox is one of the few who served 43 years in the Marine Corps, adding that he left only because he was forced to at age 62. Even then, he went on to wear the uniform for another eight years as deputy commandant of cadets at Virginia Tech.
He had experiences some never will, including service in two wars - one that would earn him the Medal of Honor.
While Fox could be considered an expert on leadership and courage, it's the practical things he learned in his time that he wanted to share with today's Marines.
It led him to pen the book "Marine Rifleman: 43 Years in the Corps," which details his life in the Corps from boot camp to retirement. The book was published in 2002 by Potomac Books.
"I hope to pass something on to someone else - lessons learned," said Fox, who lives in Blacksburg, Va., with his wife. "I hope the young Marines might be able to learn from what I did wrong, so they don't have to go through it."
Fox spent time with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines - one of the most well-known and highly decorated units of the Vietnam War. And when he heard the Corps was reactivating the unit, he knew he had to be there.
During that recent visit to Camp Lejeune, Fox stopped to sign books for Marines, sailors and civilians at the request of the Marine Corps Association.
Many were in awe of meeting a man who had accomplished so much. That includes Cpl. Bradford Price of 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, who said he uses Fox's book on a regular basis.
"You can use the 'lessons learned' at the end of each chapter when you're teaching junior Marines," he said. "It's great. It's like an instruction tool. It's amazing that he dedicated his life to this."
Price called it an honor to meet Fox, who was eager to tell visitors about his prestigious award.
The oldest of 10 children, the 18-year-old from Virginia who thought he was going to be a farmer enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950 shortly after the beginning of the Korean War. He signed up for four years. Fox was wounded in 1951 while serving with the 1st Marine Division in Korea.
"I fell in love with the Marine Corps," he said. "The reason I stayed on so long was because there was always something else I wanted to do. Even when I got out there was more I wanted to do."
Fox was later commissioned and served as a second lieutenant and rifle company commander in the Vietnam War with the 3rd Marine Division.
It was a tough war that would get even tougher for his company during Operation Dewey Canyon in 1969.
"My rifle company locked into a North Vietnamese unit that was much stronger," Fox said.
Though the company was vastly outnumbered, they pressed forward under Fox's command, bringing a storm of firepower.
Even after each member of the company's command was either wounded or killed, the Marines never gave up. Fox was wounded twice, but refused medical attention until the battle was over.
"We stuck in there and overcame," he said. "Thirteen Marines were killed, but the enemy lost 105. I had less than 90 Marines going into that fight."
Of the 90 Marines, 58 were wounded, leaving only 19 unharmed.
For his bravery in the battle, Fox was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Richard Nixon at the White House.
"The Marine spirit is what kept me going," Fox said of the battle. "You're trained that way. You're focused on doing the job. It's all just a part of who we are."
It's the same spirit he sees in young Marines in today's conflict, he said.
"It's just a great pleasure to me to be involved with Marines," he said. "I'm impressed with today's Marine. He's light years ahead of us back then. And that's because it was his first choice."
Fox is impressed that all of today's Marines volunteered to serve their country.
"Their war is different - so was the Vietnam War," he said. "We wear the uniform to fight our country's battles. Marines get the job done, and there is no fussing about it."
Fox's next book, "Courage and Fear," will be available sometime in September.
On the Net
www.potomacbooks.com
Ellie
CHRISSY VICK
DAILY NEWS STAFF
Retired Col. Wes Fox is one of just 19 living Medal of Honor recipients who are Marines.
He recently Fox visited Camp Lejeune to tell about it.
Fox is one of the few who served 43 years in the Marine Corps, adding that he left only because he was forced to at age 62. Even then, he went on to wear the uniform for another eight years as deputy commandant of cadets at Virginia Tech.
He had experiences some never will, including service in two wars - one that would earn him the Medal of Honor.
While Fox could be considered an expert on leadership and courage, it's the practical things he learned in his time that he wanted to share with today's Marines.
It led him to pen the book "Marine Rifleman: 43 Years in the Corps," which details his life in the Corps from boot camp to retirement. The book was published in 2002 by Potomac Books.
"I hope to pass something on to someone else - lessons learned," said Fox, who lives in Blacksburg, Va., with his wife. "I hope the young Marines might be able to learn from what I did wrong, so they don't have to go through it."
Fox spent time with 1st Battalion, 9th Marines - one of the most well-known and highly decorated units of the Vietnam War. And when he heard the Corps was reactivating the unit, he knew he had to be there.
During that recent visit to Camp Lejeune, Fox stopped to sign books for Marines, sailors and civilians at the request of the Marine Corps Association.
Many were in awe of meeting a man who had accomplished so much. That includes Cpl. Bradford Price of 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, who said he uses Fox's book on a regular basis.
"You can use the 'lessons learned' at the end of each chapter when you're teaching junior Marines," he said. "It's great. It's like an instruction tool. It's amazing that he dedicated his life to this."
Price called it an honor to meet Fox, who was eager to tell visitors about his prestigious award.
The oldest of 10 children, the 18-year-old from Virginia who thought he was going to be a farmer enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1950 shortly after the beginning of the Korean War. He signed up for four years. Fox was wounded in 1951 while serving with the 1st Marine Division in Korea.
"I fell in love with the Marine Corps," he said. "The reason I stayed on so long was because there was always something else I wanted to do. Even when I got out there was more I wanted to do."
Fox was later commissioned and served as a second lieutenant and rifle company commander in the Vietnam War with the 3rd Marine Division.
It was a tough war that would get even tougher for his company during Operation Dewey Canyon in 1969.
"My rifle company locked into a North Vietnamese unit that was much stronger," Fox said.
Though the company was vastly outnumbered, they pressed forward under Fox's command, bringing a storm of firepower.
Even after each member of the company's command was either wounded or killed, the Marines never gave up. Fox was wounded twice, but refused medical attention until the battle was over.
"We stuck in there and overcame," he said. "Thirteen Marines were killed, but the enemy lost 105. I had less than 90 Marines going into that fight."
Of the 90 Marines, 58 were wounded, leaving only 19 unharmed.
For his bravery in the battle, Fox was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Richard Nixon at the White House.
"The Marine spirit is what kept me going," Fox said of the battle. "You're trained that way. You're focused on doing the job. It's all just a part of who we are."
It's the same spirit he sees in young Marines in today's conflict, he said.
"It's just a great pleasure to me to be involved with Marines," he said. "I'm impressed with today's Marine. He's light years ahead of us back then. And that's because it was his first choice."
Fox is impressed that all of today's Marines volunteered to serve their country.
"Their war is different - so was the Vietnam War," he said. "We wear the uniform to fight our country's battles. Marines get the job done, and there is no fussing about it."
Fox's next book, "Courage and Fear," will be available sometime in September.
On the Net
www.potomacbooks.com
Ellie