World War II Honoree

Robert G. Eggleston, Sr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Hartford, Connecticut

Honored By

A Grateful American

SERVED AS A 2ND LIEUTENANT AND PILOT, HE FLEW SEVERAL MISSIONS IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS PRIOR TO BEING SHOT DOWN OVER GERMANY IN 1944. HE WAS TAKEN PRISONER BY THE GERMAN FORCES AND HELD AT STALAG LUFT III IN SAGAN, GERMANY. AS RUSSIAN FORCES WERE MOVING TO LIBERATE THE PRISONER OF WAR CAMP, HE AND FELLOW AMERICAN PRISONERS WERE ORDERED TO MARCH 50 MILES TO SPREMBURG, GERMANY IN BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES, WHICH WAS KNOWN AS THE 'REGENSBURG DEATH MARCH'. HE WAS LISTED AS MISSING IN ACTION UNTIL HE AND FELLOW ALLIED AIRMEN WERE LIBERATED BY GENERAL PATTON'S TANKS IN APRIL 1945 FROM STALAG LUFT VII-A IN MOOSEBURG, GERMANY. RECIPIENT OF THE AIR MEDAL, PURPLE HEART AND THE PRISONER OF WAR MEDAL.