Simeon Alexander Box (Alex) was born August 5, 1920 Quitman, MS to Samuel Eugene Box and Mattie Neal Box. He was an outstanding athletic in all sports while in high school at George S. Gardiner high. He turned down an offer from the Cincinnati Reds to accept a football scholarship to LSU in 1938. He rejected offers from Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Alabama, Tulane and Tennessee. He wanted to go to LSU because of their outstanding School of Petroleum Engineering. He was an outstanding athlete in football and baseball. He graduated in 1941 receiving his diploma in Petroleum Engineering and a commission in the Army as a Second Lieutenant. He was immediately was sent overseas to England. After training in England; he was promoted to First Lieutenant and sent to North Africa, under the command of General Theo Roosevelt of the 1st infantry Division. Lt. Box would end up becoming a part of Operation Torch, which was the Allied invasion of North Africa. He received the Distinguished Service Cross, the Army's second-highest award for valor during war. While his unit was preparing a minefield and roadblock, one of the mines accidentally exploded, according to "Eight Stars to Victory," a history of Box's battalion. He was one of those killed. He was decorated with the "Distinguished Cross" by General Theo Roosevelt. The Purple Heart was posthumously awarded to Alex Box. LSU documents reveal a groundswell at the Ole War Skule to honor Alex Box after he died overseas. In May 1943 the LSU Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to name the baseball stadium for Box. For the first time in the school's history," reported an article in the student newspaper The Reveille,"the service and memory of the military hero came to be esteemed so highly that a structure on the campus was named in his honor." The baseball stadium was named in his honor.
Simeon Alexander Box (Alex) was born August 5, 1920 Quitman, MS to Samuel Eugene Box and Mattie Neal Box. He was an outstanding athletic in all sports while in high school at George S. Gardiner high. He turned down an offer from the Cincinnati Reds to accept a football scholarship to LSU in 1938. He rejected offers from Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Alabama, Tulane and Tennessee. He wanted to go to LSU because of their outstanding School of Petroleum Engineering. He was an outstanding athlete in football and baseball. He graduated in 1941 receiving his diploma in Petroleum Engineering and a commission in the Army as a Second Lieutenant. He was immediately was sent overseas to England. After training in England; he was promoted to First Lieutenant and sent to North Africa, under the command of General Theo Roosevelt of the 1st infantry Division. Lt. Box would end up becoming a part of Operation Torch, which was the Allied invasion of North Africa. He received the Distinguished Service Cross, the Army's second-highest award for valor during war. While his unit was preparing a minefield and roadblock, one of the mines accidentally exploded, according to "Eight Stars to Victory," a history of Box's battalion. He was one of those killed. He was decorated with the "Distinguished Cross" by General Theo Roosevelt. The Purple Heart was posthumously awarded to Alex Box. LSU documents reveal a groundswell at the Ole War Skule to honor Alex Box after he died overseas. In May 1943 the LSU Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to name the baseball stadium for Box. For the first time in the school's history," reported an article in the student newspaper The Reveille,"the service and memory of the military hero came to be esteemed so highly that a structure on the campus was named in his honor." The baseball stadium was named in his honor.
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Mississippi.
