The 3d US Infantry Regiment (Old Guard) Caisson Platoon

The 3d US Infantry Regiment (Old Guard) Caisson Platoon participates in the full honors funeral of U.S. Marine Corps Col. Wesley Fox in Section 55 of Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, April 17, 2018.
Enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1950 at the age of 18, Fox received the Medal of Honor in 1971 for successfully leading his company through an enemy attack during the Vietnam War. As a first lieutenant, he led a company in that would suffer 75 percent causalities during a three-month operation. The unit, Company A, 9th Marines, was among the troops fighting in Operation Dewey Canyon, the last major Marine offensive during the Vietnam War. The company came under intense gunfire from the North Vietnamese on Feb. 22, 1969. While Fox was wounded, he refused medical attention and led a responding attack against the larger enemy force, coordinating air support and supervising the medical evacuation of injured and dead Marines.
The Medal of Honor was presented to Fox by former President Richard Nixon on March 2, 1971. Fox and six others received the award in a group ceremony at the White house.
In 1993, Fox retired at the mandatory retirement age of 62. Afterwards, he worked as a deputy commandant of cadets for the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets. Fox died at the age of 86 on Nov. 24, 2017 in Blacksburg, Virginia. Fox’s spouse, Dottie Lu Fox, received the American Flag from his casket, presented by the Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller.
(U.S. Army photo by Elizabeth Fraser / Arlington National Cemetery / released) (This image was created in color and changed to black-and-white)