Fred Sexton
Fred C. Sexton (Jan. 13, 1899 – Nov. 18, 1919) was a Scott County man who was wounded during World War I and later died while on furlough.
See Also: Scott Countians killed in war
Biography
Born Jan. 13, 1899 in the Paint Rock community, Fred Sexton was the son of William Charley Sexton (1869-1912) and Eldora Jeffers (1876-1965). He was descended from Revolutionary War veteran Timothy Sexton, who was his third-great-grandfather. He had seven siblings: Lemona Sarah Duncan (1892-1954), Reuben Caruso Sexton (1894-1936), Beth Sexton (1896-1914), James Franklin Sexton (1901-1981), Morris Schofield Sexton (1904-1985), Uzziel Sexton (1907-1942), and Doc L. Sexton (1909-1994).
Bess Sexton died of typhoid fever in 1914 at the age of 17. Fred’s father, William Charley Sexton, died in 1912 at the age of 43.
World War I
Sgt. Sexton enlisted in the U.S. Army at Columbus Barracks in Ohio on Aug. 15, 1916. he was assigned to Co. L, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division. He rose to the rank of corporal on May 29, 1917, to sergeant on Sept. 2, 1917, and to sergeant first class on June 7, 1919. He was involved in the Second Battle of the Marne, and the battles of St. Mihiel, Argonne and Montdidier-Noyen.
Sgt. Sexton was severely wounded on July 19, 1918, while fighting in the Second Battle of the Marne. He exposed himself to heavy machine gun fire while leading his platoon in an attack on a machine gun position near Missy-aux-Bois and was shot in the leg. He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross citation for his action. He continued to command his platoon until he was again wounded — this time more severely — the following day.
Death
Sgt. Sexton was killed by a gunshot wound to the stomach on Nov. 18, 1919, while on furlough. The cause of death was listed as homicide. No further information is available. Although he is listed on both the VFW Post 5669 Memorial Wall in Oneida and the Veterans Memorial Wall in Huntsville as a Scott Countian killed in World War I, he did not die during the war.
Sgt. Sexton was buried at Sexton Memorial Cemetery in the Paint Rock community, where his parents are also buried.