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About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 10, 2015)
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL November 11, 2015 War stories Ron Turpin Sgt. (E-5), USMC June 1962 to July 1968 Camp Pendleton, Okinawa, Bremerton, Wash., Viet- nam Wounded in action, Vietnam World War II veteran offers details he doesn't often share BY JON STINNETT The Cottage Grove Sentinel Terry Neil Turpin M any combat veterans return to the home front without sharing much of what they’ve seen, heard, accomplished and lived through. Such is the case with James E. Fox, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday with family and who, despite his heroics while pitched in battle on the European front as a very young man during World War II, returned home without speaking of those experiences in detail to his family. “We don’t really talk a lot about it; we never really have,” Fox’s daughter, Tena Carlton, said through tears. “I’ve never asked a lot of questions, because it’s very emotional for me. Any soldier out there, they live with so much, and so many of us just don’t have a clue.” And yet, when the timing and the com- pany is right, a veteran might open up, to share war stories and tales of friendships forged of iron amid the chaos, and to of- fer at least a clue about experiences that helped to write history and shape the fu- ture of nations. For Fox, who still sports the thin mus- tache, the rakish smile and sharp sense of humor of his younger days, the story is one of a small but scrappy young man who joined the fi ght even though he may not have had to, and who often found him- self in front of the front lines in an infantry division that earned accolades for its fi ght- ing spirit even among its enemies. “I was three pounds when I was born, and I’ve been fi ghting since,” Fox jokes. At age 18, with war raging throughout the globe, Fox was working for a man in Iowa who told him he could get a defer- ment for him if he wanted one. “I said ‘No, I’ll go on in and keep it safe for these candy-cocks who want to stay back,’” Fox said, eventually becoming a forward observer in charge of mapping out German positions so the big guns in the 95th Infantry Division could com- mence their shelling. photo by Jon Stinnett James E. Fox shows off some of the accolades he received as a ser- geant in the 95th Infantry Division, known as the "Iron Men of Metz." Below: A plaque details the task and exploits of the 95th. Eventually, the unit would earn distinc- tions for its ability to fi ght off German counterattacks and a nickname to match its ferocity — the “Iron Men of Metz.” On Oct. 19, 1944, the 95th was sent into combat east of Moselle, France and patrolled the Seille River there, repeatedly repelling German attempts to cross its bridge. In early November, the unit went on the offensive, advancing to Bertrange and capturing the city of Metz itself by Nov. 22. It would continue its advance through bitter fi ghting, capturing cities in France, the Netherlands and into Germany until the war ended. Throughout the fi ght- ing, Fox kept up his task of discovering and sending word of enemy positions back to his commanders, often fi nding himself alone and in grave danger. Once, while observing the actions of one Sgt. Warner, Fox saw the sergeant suddenly stand at attention. “The next thing you know, I felt a foot planted in my butt,” he said. Turning around, Fox observed the fi gure of Gen- eral George S. Patton himself. “He said to me, ‘I think they’re getting a little anxious,’” Fox said. “’Let’s give ‘em something to get excited about.’ And we shot ‘em all down. We kicked the &*%$ out of ‘em three different times; after the second time, all that was left was a church steeple and a couple other buildings.” Once, Fox said he discovered an ammu- nition depot and heard the 88s — German anti-aircraft artillery — begin fi ring. “They say that if you can hear ‘em whis- tle, it means you’re okay,” he said. “But the next thing I knew, I woke up in the basement.” During the course of the fi ght, Fox wound up with a bit of shrapnel in his neck (“It didn’t bother me for a long, long time”) and a Bronze Star, awarded for shooting down a German plane that would’ve decimated his unit. But according to his daughter, Fox’s greatest accomplishment may have come after he returned to America. “I’m just so proud of him because he came home and raised all us kids,” she said. “He’s such a great leader, and he loves his grandkids so much. He always took us camping and hunting. I just feel so lucky, because so many families didn’t have their loved ones come home to them.” Marine Corporal Sept. 1965 to March 1967 Vietnam Purple Heart Leonard Waitman U.S. Army Air Corps European Theater Legion of Merit, American Defense Service Medal, Eu- ropean-Afri- can-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with seven stars, Army Expeditionary Force, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Presidential Citation, Overseas Service bars Larry B. Watkins U.S. Air Force E-4 Ser- geant Nov. 1968 to Aug. 1972 Fairchild C Air Force Base, Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, Fairbanks, AK Served as a Jet Engine Tech- nician on B-52 bombers and KC135 tankers. Also trained on Hounddog missiles. Spent all duty with the Strategic Air Command. Stephen Willis U.S. Army Rank: SP4 May 17, 1971- June 24, 1974 Basic — Ft. Lewis, WA; Ft. Eustis, VA; Nuremberg, Germany, Ft. Hood, TX Victor Wilson Corporal, U.S. Army, 1951-53 Ft. Rucker, Ala. And Darmstadt, Germany Overseas Medal, Ri- fl e Medal, Veterans Medal of Honor Carlton Woodard 1st Lieuten- ant, US Marine Corps July 1941- 1945 Parris Island, SC Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeun EWA Marine Corps Air Station, Territory of Hawaii Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii We Salute Th ose Who Served Integrity Custom Builders Dr. Brent Bitner, DDS 350 E. Washington Ave 541-942-7934 76031 Hebron Rd 541-510-7620 Farmers Insurance – Ryan Hoff stot Caregiver Network of Cottage Grove 65 W. Oregon Ave Creswell 541-895-4515 541-942-3108 Coast Fork Nursing Center IITR Truck Driving School 515 Grant Ave 541-942-5528 13605 SE Hwy 212 Creswell 541-895-5525 Home Instead Senior Care 149 w. 12th Ave., STE 110 Eugene 541-485-2273 Zen Paws, LLC 160 Gateway Blvd 541-942-9634 Creswell Christian School & Child Care 635 Holbrook Ln Creswell 541-895-4622 Zachary Webb Insurance 285 E. Oregon Ave. #2 Creswell 541-409-0192 Banner Bank 25 Gateway Blvd O n Veterans Day, we salute the American veterans and active-duty military whose 541-942-3331 courage and dedication have protected our freedom and our way of life for generations. We recognize their service and their sacrifi ce, their selfl essness and bravery, their hard work and their faith. Please join us in celebrating the men and women Enterprises of our military, past and present, this Veterans Day. Proudly fl y your fl ag, thank a veteran Beco 553 So. River Rd and show your support for those who continue to serve today. 541-942-2106 Th anks, Veterans! F&F Contractors Inc. 541-543-5374 Stacy’s Covered Bridge Restaurant 401 E Main St 541-767-0320 EZ Flush 33739 Row River Rd 541-942-0092 Mr. K Lock & Key 1443 E. Madison Ave 541-767-0159 Village Green Chevron 670 Row River Rd 541-942-2131 PeaceHealth Cottage Grove Community Medical Center 1515 Village Drive 541-767-5500
