Wesley L . Fox Wesley Lee Fox ( born September 30 , 1931 ) is a retired Colonel in the United States Marine Corps with 43 years of service . Fox received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Vietnam War . He is considered to be one of the legendary war heroes within the Marine Corps . Biography . Fox was born to John Wesley and Desola Lee ( née Crouch ) Fox in Herndon , Virginia , the oldest of ten siblings . He attended Warren County High School in Fort Royal , Virginia until 1948 . Korean War . He enlisted in the Marine Corps shortly before his 19th birthday , on August 4 , 1950 during the Korean War . 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 . Vietnam War . 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 . Post Vietnam . 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 . Military Awards and Decorations . Colonel Wesley L . Fox has been decorated for service , to include : Medal of Honor citation . The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to CAPTAIN WESLEY L . FOX UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS for service as set forth in the following CITATION : For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as commanding officer of Company A , in action against the enemy in the northern A Shau Valley . Capt . ( then 1st Lt . ) Fox ' s company came under intense fire from a large well concealed enemy force . Capt . Fox maneuvered to a position from which he could assess the situation and confer with his platoon leaders . As they departed to execute the plan he had devised , the enemy attacked and Capt . Fox was wounded along with all of the other members of the command group , except the executive officer . Capt . Fox continued to direct the activity of his company . Advancing through heavy enemy fire , he personally neutralized 1 enemy position and calmly ordered an assault against the hostile emplacements . He then moved through the hazardous area coordinating aircraft support with the activities of his men . When his executive officer was mortally wounded , Capt . Fox reorganized the company and directed the fire of his men as they hurled grenades against the enemy and drove the hostile forces into retreat . Wounded again in the final assault , Capt . Fox refused medical attention , established a defensive posture , and supervised the preparation of casualties for medical evacuation . His indomitable courage , inspiring initiative , and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger inspired his marines to such aggressive action that they overcame all enemy resistance and destroyed a large bunker complex . Capt . Fox ' s heroic actions reflect great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps , and uphold the highest traditions of the U . S . Naval Service .