Lieutenant Preston Doane Fogg, A Soldier's Story
Lieutenant Preston Doane Fogg, A Soldier's Story
Preston Doane Fogg was born on April 14, 1888, in Boston, Massachusetts, into an era that still valued physical vigor, civic engagement, and public duty as measures of character. From an early age, Fogg demonstrated the combination of leadership, discipline, and energy that would come to define both his civilian and military life.
After graduating from Dorchester High School, Fogg attended Syracuse University, where he distinguished himself as a gifted athlete and campus leader. He served as captain of the 1911 Syracuse football team and competed on the university’s one-mile relay team, which won the IC4A championship twice. Among his teammates was Olympic athlete Charles D. Reidpath, placing Fogg in elite athletic company during a formative period in American collegiate sports.
Fogg’s leadership extended well beyond the playing field. He was deeply involved in campus life, serving as president of the Phi Kappa Alpha fraternity in 1912, the Seniors Dinner Club, and the Tambourine and Bones, a musical theater society. Under his leadership, the group produced The Coach by D. H. Wallace, reflecting Fogg’s broad interests and ability to bridge athletics, arts, and organization-building, skills that would serve him well in wartime.
In August 1917, with the United States newly engaged in World War I, Fogg enlisted in the U.S. Army and was assigned to the 309th Infantry Regiment. Like many young officers of his generation, he transitioned quickly from civilian achievement to the brutal realities of modern industrial warfare.
In October 1918, during fierce fighting at Champigneulles in France, Lieutenant Fogg distinguished himself through conspicuous gallantry. Despite being wounded, he carried another injured soldier to safety under fire—an act of courage that exemplified selflessness amid chaos. For this action, he was awarded both the Distinguished Service Cross and the Croix de Guerre, honors recognizing extraordinary heroism by American and Allied forces.
After the war, Fogg returned to Syracuse, where he resumed civilian life with the same sense of duty that had guided his military service. He remained active in veterans’ and civic organizations, including the Legion of Valor, the American Legion, and the Ivy Lodge Masonic Order, continuing to serve his community long after the guns of war had fallen silent.
Lieutenant Preston Doane Fogg died on February 23, 1969, and is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Syracuse, New York. His life reflects a generation for whom leadership was practiced daily, on the field, on campus, and ultimately on the battlefield, leaving behind a legacy defined by service, courage, and steadfast responsibility to others.
_____________________________________________________________________________
About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.
✨ #TakeTheBackRoads
Enjoyed this post? Support the adventure by visiting my sponsors, shopping the gallery, or buying me a cup of coffee!
