Photo By Amy Stork | Morgan Fox Charles, grandson of 1st Lt. John R. Fox, spoke during the 2nd annual...... read more read more
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FORT HUACHUCA, Ariz. — The U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence (USAICoE) and Fort Huachuca held its second annual Buffalo Soldier recognition ceremony at Fitch Auditorium, July 28.
The ceremony honored 1st Lt. John R. Fox, a Buffalo Soldier and Medal of Honor Recipient, who called for fire on his own position to defend his fellow Soldiers.
“This day commemorates the history and legacy of the Buffalo Soldier, African American men and women, whose service to the Nation is marked by heroism, honor, and distinction,” said Maj. Gen. Anthony R. Hale, USAICoE and Fort Huachuca commanding general. “By their integration in 1952, Buffalo Soldiers had earned over twenty congressional Medals of Honor and 170 French Legion of Honor Medals — the highest honor for the military in America and France.”
Dr. Bryan Carter, a professor of Africana Studies at the University of Arizona, was the guest speaker.
“A hidden chapter in the history of United States Army revolves around the involvement of these black Soldiers near Sequoia National Park in 1903. Despite being denied the same opportunities, many African American men helped to drive U.S. westward expansion,” Carter said. “They built and protected the Pacific Railroad, and served as Park Rangers, the very first ones at places such as Yosemite even before the U.S. Government established the National Park Service.”
Carter said that even with the contributions of the Buffalo Soldiers building the West, the Army remained segregated well into the Korean War.
They continued to fight, to be examples and lay a foundation for a new generation of black men and women to come after them, he said.
“They believed that proving their valor, fighting for democracy with the allies, they would be treated as full and equal citizens at the end of the war,” he said. “Now, history tells us that this was not always the case, but that did not prevent thousands of troops like Lieutenant Fox from making the ultimate sacrifice for our country.”
The Buffalo Soldiers went on to participate with distinction in every American engagement from the Spanish-American War through the Afghan War, even as the Armed Forces were desegregated by President Harry Truman in 1948, he said.
Three generations of the Fox family attended the ceremony to include 1st Lt. John R. Fox’s daughter, Sandra Fox. Morgan Fox Charles, grandson of 1st Lt. John R. Fox, spoke during the event.
“Although the family is small, our pride at the gallantry and bravery of Lieutenant Fox remains the spirit that continues to guide us,” Morgan Fox said. “We are honored that his story has not been forgotten.”
| Date Taken: | 07.28.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 07.28.2022 22:30 |
| Story ID: | 426078 |
| Location: | FORT HUACHUCA, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 127 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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