Rank Insignia Previous Honoree ID Next Honoree ID


   
honoree image
First Name: Forrest

Last Name: Everhart

Birthplace: Bainbridge, OH, USA

Gender: Male

Branch: Army (1784 - present)



Home of Record: Texas City, TX
Middle Name: Eugene



Date of Birth: 28 August 1922

Date of Death: 30 August 1986

Rank: Technical Sergeant

Years Served: 1940 - 1945
Forrest Eugene Everhart, Sr.

   
Engagements:
•  World War II (1941 - 1945)

Biography:

Forrest E. Everhart, Sr.
Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army
Medal of Honor Recipient
World War II

Technical Sergeant Forrest Eugene Everhart, Sr. (28 August 1922 - 30 August 1986) was a U.S. Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during World War II.

Forrest E. Everhart was born on 28 August 1922 in Bainbridge, OH. He joined the Army from Texas City, TX. On 12 November 1944, he was serving as a Technical Sergeant in Company H, 359th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division. That day near Kerling, France, he led his platoon in defense against a counterattack by a numerically superior German force. When German soldiers threatened to overrun his platoon's machine gun positions, he twice engaged them alone and drove them away. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Medal of Honor

Rank and organization: Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company H, 359th Infantry, 90th Infantry Division.

Place and date: Near Kerling, France, 12 November 1944.

Citation: He commanded a platoon that bore the brunt of a desperate enemy counterattack near Korling, France, before dawn on 12 November 1944. When German tanks and self-propelled guns penetrated his left flank and overwhelming infantry forces threatened to overrun the 1 remaining machinegun in that section, he ran 400 yards through woods churned by artillery and mortar concentrations to strengthen the defense. With the 1 remaining gunner, he directed furious fire into the advancing hordes until they swarmed close to the position. He left the gun, boldly charged the attackers and, after a 15-minute exchange of hand grenades, forced them to withdraw leaving 30 dead behind. He re-crossed the fire-swept terrain to his then threatened right flank, exhorted his men and directed murderous fire from the single machinegun at that position. There, in the light of bursting mortar shells, he again closed with the enemy in a hand grenade duel and, after a fierce 30-minute battle, forced the Germans to withdraw leaving another 20 dead. The gallantry and intrepidity of T/Sgt. Everhart in rallying his men and refusing to fall back in the face of terrible odds were highly instrumental in repelling the fanatical enemy counterattack directed at the American bridgehead across the Moselle River.

Everhart left the Army while still a Technical Sergeant.

Death and Burial

Technical Sergeant Forrest E. Everhart, Sr. died 30 August 1986, at age 64. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA, in Section 60, Grave 7516, Map Grid GG 21.



Honoree ID: 1383   Created by: MHOH

Ribbons


Medals


Badges


Honoree Photos

honoree imagehonoree imagehonoree image

honoree imagehonoree image

honoree image

Remembrances


Tributes