World War II Honoree

Edward J. 'Jerry' Egan

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Honored By

Tom Egan

Relationship

Son

DRAFTED FOLLOWING PEARL HARBOR. HE DID HIS BASIC TRAINING IN TENNESSEE AND WAS POSTED TO AN ILLINOIS NATIONAL GUARD OUTFIT. HE GUARDED THE LOCKS AT SAULT SAINTE MARIE, MICHIGAN UNTIL HE SHIPPED OUT FOR ENGLAND IN SEPTEMBER 1943. HE SERVED AS AN INSTRUCTOR AT THE U.S. ARMY ASSAULT TRAINING CENTER IN ILFRACOMBE, ENGLAND UNTIL MAY 1944. HIS UNIT WAS DISBANDED AND HE JOINED THE 6TH ARMORED DIVISION AS A STAFF SERGEANT IN COMPANY A, 44TH ARMORED INFANTRY BATTALION. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART FOR MULTIPLE WOUNDS RECEIVED ON DECEMBER 31, 1944 NEAR NEFFE, BELGIUM, JUST OUTSIDE BASTOGNE. HE WAS EVACUATED TO ENGLAND FOR RECOVERY AND REJOINED HIS UNIT IN MARCH 1945 FOR THE FINAL DRIVE OF THE WAR. HE RETURNED TO THE U.S. IN SEPTEMBER 1945, CELEBRATING HIS 29TH BIRTHDAY EN ROUTE. RECEIVED EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN BATTLE STARS FOR NORTHERN FRANCE, ARDENNES-ALSACE, RHINELAND AND CENTRAL EUROPE.