during world war ii, fox enlisted in the united states army air forces and took a leave of absence from brown memorial presbyterian church in baltimore and the peabody. he was promoted to staff sergeant and played various recitals and services at the request of eleanor roosevelt. he served on her home hospitality committee and entertained returning troops who were in walter reed hospital, by playing a piano he pushed around, and joining in with two others. they sang funny and rather raunchy songs to the bedridden. after having played more than 600 concerts while on duty, plus his obligations to h.h.c, he was discharged from the army air forces in 1946.