On the 26th of December 1944, Lt. John Fox commanded a mere 70 Americans - all of whom were black - against a massive German assault. The mountaintop village of Sommocolonia, along Italy’s northern most border, stood between the Germans and the strategic port of Livorno, 40 miles south. If successful, they would have choked off supplies to the Allied forces. In Lt. John Fox’s first and only battle, his heroism stopped that from happening. 

John repeatedly called for defensive artillery fire to slow the enemy advance, closer and closer to his own position. The artillery, fired by John’s men of the US Army’s legendary and segregated 92nd Infantry Division, also known as the Buffalo Soldiers,  killed over 100 German Soldiers and held the rest off long enough to turn the tide of the battle. 

Prior to serving in the Army - because he was an African American - John had to transfer from Ohio State to Wilberforce University, just to be allowed into ROTC training. 

In 1996 John was one of seven African Americans
posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the US Military’s Highest Decoration, by President Bill Clinton.

Thank you to the family of Lt. John Fox and thank you for listening to Heroes Behind Headlines.