Whitman Hanson Girl Scout Troop 82684 Honors WWII Hero Lt. John Fox with Kindness Rocks

Members of the Whitman Hanson Girl Scout Troop 82684 recently completed a meaningful community service project to honor the memory and sacrifice of Lt. John Fox, a World War II hero who gave his life for his country and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

The troop created and placed hand-painted kindness rocks at Lt. Fox’s gravesite as a permanent tribute to his courage and selflessness. Each rock was carefully designed by the scouts to spread messages of gratitude, remembrance, and kindness for future visitors to the site.

Lt. John Fox served in the U.S. Army during World War II and became a hero during the Battle of Sommocolonia, Italy, on Dec. 26, 1944. As enemy forces overwhelmed his position, Lt. Fox knowingly called artillery fire onto his own location to stop the advancing troops and protect fellow soldiers and civilians. His final command was, “Fire it!” His extraordinary bravery helped save countless lives.

For many years, Lt. Fox’s actions went largely unrecognized, but in 1997 he was finally awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration for valor.

Troop 82684 said they wanted their project to not only honor Lt. Fox’s sacrifice, but also inspire kindness and patriotism within the community. The girls spent time learning about his story before creating the rocks, making the project both educational and heartfelt.

The troop hopes the kindness rocks will serve as a lasting reminder of Lt. Fox’s heroism and encourage others to reflect on the sacrifices made by members of the military throughout history.