Ira W. Cox

1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

Died A Hero Under the Stars and Stripes

Private Ira W. Cox

Company D 22nd Infantry

Ira W. Cox

Courtesy of Richard Hargis

Ira Wayne Cox was born in Webster County, Kentucky on August 22, 1879.
He enlisted in the United States Army on December 17, 1898 in Evansville, Indiana.
He was sent to Fort Crook, Nebraska on December 19, 1898,
and was assigned to Company D 22nd U.S. Infantry Regiment.
The 22nd Infantry reached the Philippines on March 4, 1899.
Nine days later Ira was in his first engagement with the enemy.

After serving in several actions against Philippino insurgents
Ira Cox died of wounds received in action on August 12, 1899,
just 10 days short of his twentieth birthday.

He was buried on August 14, 1899, in grave number 170
in the National Cemetery in Manila, Philippine Islands.
In 1900 his body was returned to the United States
where on April 1, 1900 he was laid to rest in
the San Francisco National Cemetery in Section ES Site 542.

Below is a handwritten inscription inside the cover of a book belonging to Ira's family.
It is a copy of the telegram they received informing them of Ira's death six days earlier.

Courtesy of Richard Hargis

On the next four pages are documents, letters and articles about Pvt Ira Cox
including letters he wrote home from the Philippines and a poem he composed
while serving in the field.

In some cases the website has included transcriptions of some of the documents,
complete with the original spelling and grammar.

Additional material has been added by the website editor.

The 1st Battalion website is grateful to Richard Hargis
for sharing information and documents
about his Great-Uncle Ira W. Cox.

BACK