The Story Of The Last Stand Of Fox Company

This story serves as an inspiration to Marines everywhere, reinforcing our already proud history and adding to the plain fact that Marines can overcome anything put in front of them no matter how big the challenge may seem. They are a testament to the human will in the face of overwhelming forces of opposition. Marines in combat are like no other fighting force in the world and continue to stand out above all the rest. The story of the last stand of Fox Company has added to the plain fact of how well Marines are trained.

Marines were given the name first to fight because we are some of the bravest, toughest and best trained to take the first waves of attack. Marines are the embodiment of bravery, courage, and honor which the United States is built upon. The Battle of Belleau Wood and Iwo Jima are other battles that stand equal to what Marines have become and what Marines stand for.

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These battles show Marines how they are supposed to stand up in a fight and never back down or surrender. The determination and devotion of every Marine on that hill, in the trenches including Private Hector Cafferata are proof that Marines are America’s top fighting force. There were many heroes at the battle of Fox Hill but one Private Hector Cafferata’s story stands above them all. Private Hector Cafferata is a prime example of what a Marine is, of what a Marine should be. No matter the rank you are or what position you stand when it comes your time we like him should always be ready.

In this type of warfare there could possibly be many heroes that go unsung but one stood out and was recognized for his valor and that was Private Hector Cafferata. . On the first night at Fox Hill, Cafferata found his foxhole surrounded by the enemy as the Chinese passed through the gaps in the American lines during the first night of the attack. Two enemy riflemen reached the edge of their hole and Cafferata clubbed them with his shovel. One of them dropped a Thompson submachine gun. Cafferata picked it up and emptied it into another approaching squad. He and his foxhole buddy retreated back to a trench they had identified earlier, to join two other Marines shoulder to shoulder to shoot upon a wall of enemy that overran the machine gun emplacement next to them. The four Marines in the trench provided supporting cover fire to repel the Chinese assault as the enemy focused on the machine gun emplacements, leaving fire team after fire team dead. The other Marines mowed down the attacking enemy but were still overcome through the sheer number of attacking forces and the inevitably running out of ammo, often taking a few more of the enemy with them in bayonet and hand-to-hand combat.

This left Cafferata and a small unit of Marines alone like an island surrounded by a sea of advancing Chinese soldiers. But the next wave of enemy soldiers found a squad of Marines firing into their right flank. Giving all he had and more Cafferata Emptied his M1 he used his e-tool like a baseball bat knocking a thrown grenade back to the enemy. A grenade landed near the fox hole and as Cafferata went to throw it the grenade exploded while leaving his hand. His left hand was left bloody and gashed, the fingers shredded to pieces. His reaction quick, fast and steady was simply to reload and continue firing. His buddy, blinded by a grenade thrown by the enemy, took to reloading Hector Cafferata’s M1, handing him a fresh weapon after every emptied clip. Cafferata’s foxhole was the only thing that prevented the enemy from splitting the defensive line of the hill, with Cafferata being credited with killing almost 40 enemy soldiers during that first night of nonstop fighting. Nominated for the Medal of Honor immediately after the conflict his commanding officer stated that Cafferata had probably killed more than 100 enemy soldiers that night, but the number being so outstanding he didn’t think anyone would believe him, so he quoted the official number at 36. Hector Cafferata would receive the Medal of Honor at the cost of his right hand that was hit by a sniper’s bullet. He would never be able to use that hand again, but luckily learned how to shoot with his left hand. The conflict at Fox Hill lasted seven days followed by a grueling march of wounded back to base, a temporary safe spot that would also be taken by the Chinese soon after. In Major General Oliver Smith’s infamously quoted their retreat was an “attack in a different direction!” was escorted by the Ridge runners of 1st Battalion’s Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie companies who came down from the Chosen Reservoir and had to fight through the enemies forces that surrounded Fox Hill. By the time the Ridge runners arrived couldn’t tell who was rescuing whom. In the end Fox Company had 26 dead, 89 wounded and three missing. There were at least 1,000 Chinese bodies around the hill. It was estimated later that 4,000 Chinese had attacked the hill, and as many as 2,000 had died in the attacks or from artillery and air attacks.

Fox hill battle was one of longest most grueling weeks of these Marines lives and the memory of this will stay with them for years to come. This battle lasted seven days of wave after wave of Chinese soldiers. It also included a long and hard march of wounded Marines back to their safe zone where the wounded were cared for but that would also be interrupted by another attack. The retreat back to base was escorted by first battalion who came from the Chosen Reservoir who had to walk over the dead bodies of the Chinese soldiers to get to the Marines. December 4, 1950 the Marines very beaten and busted up marched back singing the Marine Corps Hymn loud and proud. If it was not for Fox hills stand to stop much of the enemies soldiers it was said that they saved over nine thousand American lives in that week alone. Fox Company through it all only had 26 KIA, 89 wounded and then 3 MIA. The enemies on the other hand were considered to be about 1000 dead around Fox hill and later the number of dead was a lot higher around 2000 dead with about 4000 who tried to take the hill. The battle of fox hill was a battle against numerous known enemies from a fortified position and although outnumbered and eventually overtaken it showed true bravery, dedication, and determination.

However, in today’s world the fighting is no longer the same and cant truly be compared. Today our enemy is unknown with unknown amounts. There are ED’s along with ambushes and there is no true way to make a last stand in the modern world like fox hill. Weapons of today’s world are far more superior and therefor would make a last stand from an entrenched position almost completely impossible. In modern society the bravery comes from the unknown, the unexpected and the one in many a life chance.