An American Korean War Purple Heart to Private Fox; KIA in North Korea

Two-piece construction, bronze gilt and enamels, engraved "ROBERT L. FOX" on the reverse, 35.2 mm x 43.5 mm, original ribbon with brooch pinback, intact enamels, near mint. Accompanied by its 10 mm x 35.5 mm Ribbon Bar and its 3.8 mm x 17.2 mm enameled Ribbon Bar, in its hardshelled case of issue, marked "PURPLE HEART" on the lid, lightly scuffed exterior, case extremely fine.

Footnote: Robert L. Fox was born in 1928 in Henrico, Virginia and served as a Private (52047123) with the 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, United States Army during the Korean War. On April 22, 1951, the Chinese started a new offensive, that pushed back the United Nations forces including the 25th Division to the area just north of Seoul. The Chinese Spring Offensive, also known as the Chinese Fifth Phase Offensive, was a military operation conducted by the Chinese People's Volunteer Army (PVA) during the Korean War. Mobilizing three field armies totaling 700,000 men for the operation, the Chinese command conducted their largest offensive operation since the Second Phase Offensive in November and December 1950. The offensive's first thrust fell upon the multinational units of US 1 Corps, which fiercely resisted at the Battle of Imjin River and the Battle of Kapyong, which took place at the same time over the period April 22-25, 1951, blunting the impetus of the offensive, which was halted at the "No-name Line" north of Seoul. 52047123 Private (E-2) Fox was with the 24th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, United States Army when he was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in North Korea, on April 24, 1951. In addition to the Purple Heart, for his Korean War service, Private Fox was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, the United Nations Korea Service Medal, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal and the Combat Infantryman Badge.