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First Name: George

Last Name: Fox

Birthplace: Lewisburg, PA, USA

Gender: Male

Branch: Army (1784 - present)



Middle Name: Lansing



Date of Birth: 15 March 1900

Date of Death: 03 February 1943

Rank: First Lieutenant

Years Served:
George Lansing Fox

   
Engagements:
•  World War II (1941 - 1945)

Biography:

George Lansing Fox
First Lieutenant / Chaplain, U.S. Army

George Lansing Fox was born on 15 March 1900 in Lewisburg, PA.

On the night of 3 February 1943, the U.S.A.T. Dorchester, a loaded troop transport, was torpedoed by a German submarine in the Labrador Sea (North Atlantic) and began to rapidly sink. In the confusion and darkness some men found themselves without life jackets and others were rendered helpless by fear and the dread of entering the freezing water. With his 3 fellow Chaplains, Chaplain Fox moved about the deck calmly encouraging the men and helping them abandon ship. When the supply of life jackets was exhausted, the Chaplains each gave up their own life jacket and remained aboard offering words of encouragement and prayers. The 4 Chaplains then went down with the ship. Chaplain Fox’s selfless, courageous actions and extraordinary heroism that day earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

On 3 February 1951, a chapel was dedicated by President Harry S. Truman to honor these soldiers of different faiths (one was Jewish, one Catholic and two Protestant). Only 230 men of the 902 aboard the Dorchester survived the attack.

Medals and Awards

Distinguished Service Cross
Silver Star Medal
Purple Heart with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster
World War I Victory Medal
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant (Chaplain) George L. Fox (ASN: 0-485690), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an enemy of the United States. On the night of 3 February 1943, the U.S.A.T. Dorchester, a loaded troop transport, was torpedoed without warning by an enemy submarine in the North Atlantic and began to sink rapidly. In the resulting confusion and darkness some men found themselves without life jackets and others became helpless through fear and the dread of plunging into the freezing water. Chaplain Fox with three fellow Chaplains, moved about the deck, heroically and calmly, encouraging the men and assisting them to abandon ship. After the available supply of life jackets was exhausted they gave up their own and remained aboard ship and went down with it, offering words of encouragement and prayers to the last. Chaplain Fox's great self-sacrifice, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty exemplifies the highest traditions of the military forces of the United States and reflect great credit upon himself, the Chaplains Corps, and the United States Army.

General Orders: War Department, General Orders No. 93 (December 28, 1944)

Memorialization

Chaplain First Lieutenant George Lansing Fox remains are lost at sea. A cenotaph in his memory is at the Jeffersonville Cemetery in Jeffersonville, VT.



Honoree ID: 2513   Created by: MHOH

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