"Born at Saranac Lake, New York, on November 2, 1895, he earned the Medal of Honor in World War I while serving in Machine Gun Company, 107th Infantry, 27th Division, at Le Catelet, France, on September 29, 1918.
He died on October 3, 1968 and was buried in Section 2 of Arlington National Cemetery.
EGGERS, ALAN LOUIS
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Machine Gun Company, 107th Infantry, 27th Division. Place and date: Near Le Catelet, France, 29 September 1918. Entered service at: Summit, New Jersey. Birth: Saranac Lake, New York. G.O. No.: 20, W.D., 1919.
Citation:
Becoming separated from their platoon by a smoke barrage, Sgt. Eggers, Sgt. John C. Latham and Cpl. Thomas E.O'Shea took cover in a shell hole well within the enemy's lines. Upon hearing a call for help from an American tank, which had become disabled 30 yards from them, the 3 soldiers left their shelter and started toward the tank, under heavy fire from German machineguns and trench mortars. In crossing the fire-swept area Cpl. O'Shea was mortally wounded, but his companions, undeterred, proceeded to the tank, rescued a wounded officer, and assisted 2 wounded soldiers to cover in a sap of a nearby trench. Sgt. Eggers and Sgt. Latham then returned to the tank in the face of the violent fire, dismounted a Hotchkiss gun, and took it back to where the wounded men were, keeping off the enemy all day by effective use of the gun and later bringing it, with the wounded men, back to our lines under cover of darkness." (
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