Customer Reviews

Marine Rifleman: Forty-Three Years in the Corps (Memories of War)

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In this age of phoney celebrities and victim-heroes, Colonel Fox is an authentic American hero. He is an accomplished leader, warrior, and a living legend in the Marine Corps. His exciting story should be required reading for anyone holding a position of leadership, anyone interested in service in the US Armed Forces, and anyone interested in the history of the Marines since 1950. It's a great read.

I first heard of "Marine Rifleman" while sitting next to the author at the funeral of highly decorated Marine General Ray Davis. Col. Fox mentioned his book, but little else about his distinguished career in the Corps. That night, while checking out his website, I discovered that Wesley Fox was a Medal Of Honor (MOH) recipient!

Not only was I impressed with this great leader's humility, but I was also intrigued by his 43-year track record as a Marine.
Fox was a drill instructor and recruiter. He was an elite Force Recon Marine and Pathfinder. He fought in Korea. He received the MOH in Viet Nam. He moved up through the enlisted ranks before becoming an officer and serving in a variety of challenging assignments. After his retirement, Col. Fox served as the Deputy Commandant of Cadets at Virginia Tech--a total of 51 continous years in which he wore the Marine uniform.

His book reveals why the Marine Corps is unrivaled in raising up quality leaders. At the end of each chapter, the author shares "Lessons Learned" that include:

--Eleven weeks of boot camp make a Marine for life.
--Discipline and heritage are the makings of a Marine.
--Strength and endurance are factors of motivation.
--A tour of duty in a combat zone is one thing; a firefight is another.
--Integrity, dedication, and enthusiasm pave the road to leadership.
--Seek followers with pride and commitment.
--Positive leadership brings out the best in us.
--The art of leadership is so important to our society, why are there so few institutions of higher learning that offer a degree in something so important to the people?

As a student and teacher of leadership for many years, I'm proudly adding this book to my vast collection on this crucial topic. Leaders and potential leaders from all sectors of society will be well-served by learning from Col. Fox's vast storehouse of knowledge and experience. Semper Fi, sir!

Sgt. Richard K. Biggs
USMC 1964-68

I gave "Marine Rifleman" to my 17-year-old son last week, not to have him again revisit my Marine Corps "era" through this terrific book, but to have him exposed to these thoughts:

-- "Normal" people can have a successful military career. And Marines are not cold-blooded killers to begin with, nor trained as such.
-- Military careers can co-exist with a family lifestyle. The Fox family is a wonderful example.
-- We owe a considerable debt of gratitude to those who have served, especially in combat situations. Our comfortable life is largely due to the sacrifices of thousands of military personnel since 1900. Many of these sacrifices are short of serious wounds or death, but are not experienced by or even known to the public-at-large.
-- You can lead AND command without losing respect for your subordinates (very important today!!!), or having them lose respect for you.

Does "Marine Rifleman" bring out these lessons? You bet it does. Get the book, read it, pass it on to others. The reader does not have to be Marine-familiar. It will be one of their better reads from the bewildering choices in the bookstores. Especially for young people. Let them experience the personal growth of this man Fox as he maintains his spirit and integrity through a demanding career.

Colonel Fox's autobiography provides unparalleled insights into his unmatched 43-year career in the Corps. From recruit at Parris Island to 1st sergeant, then from lieutenant to colonel, from the Korean War through Vietnam, his story marches with precision across a huge swath of Marine history and Leatherneck experience. He describes stateside tours and vicious combat in the same matter-of-fact tone, disdaining the overblown prose that mars too many memoirs. He ends each chapter with pithy, valuable lessons earned at heavy cost in sweat and blood. This is a must read for any Marine and for anyone who wonders what it means to be a combat Marine.

Every Marine that has served can easily tell you about the types of people in the Corps. There are the people who do their job and are just waiting to get out, the less than desirable bottom "10%" and then guys like Wesly Fox: the super-hardcore, gungy types who eat and sleep Marine Corps and epitomize the professionalism and dedication of the modern warrior. Col. Fox spent 43 year in, making it to 1st Sergeant before being commissioned and ultimately obtaining his bird. Many field grade officers today remember him as the CO of OCS, and his reputation carries his name throughout the Corps, even today, a decade since his retirement. Gungy Marines only come along maybe once a year in a unit, and Marines like Foxonly come along once in a great while.

The book is written by the author, and goes from chapter to chapter through each rank and his experiences in Korea, Vietnam, and all of his assignments (e.g. drill instructor, recruiter, MSG, etc.); He did it all. The prose is not extremely well written or memorable so much as the content of his story is remarkable. He seems to be a very warm and realistic man. There are almost no political views in the book, or rants about government or red tape, just his perspectives on the COrps and how it changed over 3 years. A great read, I feel it should be added to the Commandant's reading list.

Having been a recruit at the time Wes Fox was a Drill Instructor at MCRD San Diego I can tell you he was a "Hero" to many of us who were either in his platoon or in an adjacent platoon as I was. Sgt Fox was a Poster Board Marine. It is amazing to me all the things he did during his 43 years in the Corp. "No Fear" would describe this Marine. I especially appreciate the Lessons Learned at the end of each chapter. This book should be read by young people to help them appreciate our dedicated military and what life can be like when you make it a career. Semper Fi Colonel Fox.

I found it very difficult to put his book down once I began reading it. Right from the first chapter, you begin to go through each of his days with him. How this amazing man narrowly escaped death so many times is beyond my comprehension. He has been through more lives than a cat! Although fortunately many will never have to experience the true tragedies of war, his descriptive writing helps all to relate to the feelings of fear, anguish and pure exhaustion that men and women just like him faced in order to protect the freedoms of our country. It is a story of how the U.S. Marine Corps turned a Virginia farm-boy into a brave and selfless hero. As Americans, we are all indebted to men and women like Col. Fox who actually made a difference in this world and gave of themselves on our behalf. This book will bring out the true patriotic sentiment in all of us.

Wes Fox truly is the Marines Marine, His book is probably the best piece of work I have seen a Marine produce in many years.

Colonel Wes Fox has done it all and his book chronicles more than four decades of exceptional service to his country and Corps. From Private to Colonel, from combat rifleman to combat leader, teacher and commander, his career was marked by extraordinary commitment and dedication. Throughout, the love of his family and a brief glimpse into their sacrifices provide our Nation a view into the Marine family. At the end of every chapter are lessons learned...lessons that should be taught to our Marines of today. He is not an armchair officer. Throughout his career he lead from the front, inspiring and training his Marines to be prepared to overcome the demands of combat. "Marine Rifleman" should be added to the Commandant of the Marine Corps Reading List and be a must read for all NCOs, SNCOs, and officers.

I give this book a rating of 5 stars because there isn't any way to give it ten. This is an excellent autobiography, right up there with U.S. Grants. It focuses on the career of a member of the largest elite fighting force in the world the United States Marine Corps. It tells the story of Wesley Fox, a man who rose from Private to Colonel in the span of 43 years. He write in a straight forward manner describing the good as well as the bad, His own personal triumps as well as the setbacks and more importantly the inner conflict between his commitment to the Marine Corps and his devotion to his family. During the time he was in Col. Fox was not content to just serve but excelled at every job he was assigned, going that extra mile that makes the differance between people who just do their jobs and those who lead by example and motivation others around them. I served three and a half years with the Marine Infantry as a Navy Hospital Corpsman during some of the time he was in and the things and places he writes about brought back a flood of memories for me. I highly recommend this book, it's the facsinating story of a true American hero. Colonel, it would have been an honor to have served with you.