On Christmas Eve of 1944, German forces infiltrated the village of Sommocolonia in the Tuscan region of Italy. The invasion was part of a larger planned operation called Winter Storm, also known as the “Christmas Offensive.”

After heavy pressure from the black community to actively participate in combat, several companies from the 92nd Infantry Division, known as the Buffalo Soldiers, were sent to Italy to aid in penetrating the Gothic Line.

29-year-old Lieutenant John R. Fox, from the Cannon Company, 366th Infantry, was serving as a forward observer when the Germans arrived at Sommocolonia.

As he was overseeing the battle from a second-story window in an abandoned building, the Germans kept inflicting damage upon his unit and the villagers.

The enemies far outnumbered the scarce American troops who stayed behind, and Fox knew that only a drastic measure would slow down the attack and save many lives...

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