#VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran John R. Fox

Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran John R. Fox. John served as a first lieutenant in the United States Army during World War II.

John was a member of Cannon Company, 366^th Infantry, 92nd Infantry Division near the town of Sommocolonia, Italy in December 1944. He served as a forward observer for his division and the 598^th Field Artillery Battalion. On Christmas night, German soldiers sieged his division. John directed defensive fires from the second floor of a local house. He called for artillery fire close to his own position telling his battalion commander, “That was just where I wanted it. Bring it in 60 yards!”

His commander refused and cut the distance of fire in half, but as the Germans pressed closer, John insisted for artillery fire. The last radio communication from John was, “Fire it! There’s more of them than there are of us. Give them hell!” John passed away during this artillery exchange, but his actions delayed the German’s advances and gave the infantry units time to reorganize.

John was awarded the Medal of Honor for his selfless sacrifice.

We honor his service.

Nominate a Veteran for #VeteranOfTheDay

Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? You’re in luck! VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.

It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much information as you can put together, along with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission