Foster Joseph Sayers (April 27, 1924 – November 12, 1944) was a 20-year-old infantryman from

Centre County Centre County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,172. Its county seat is Bellefonte. Centre County comprises the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. History The lands ...

. He joined the Army from

Howard, Pennsylvania Howard is a borough in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 720 at the 2010 census. Geography Howard is located at (41.013857, -77.654809). A ...

in March 1943.WWII Army Enlistment Records
/ref> He received the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

for acts of bravery near

Thionville Thionville (; ; german: Diedenhofen ) is a city in the northeastern French department of Moselle. The city is located on the left bank of the river Moselle, opposite its suburb Yutz. History Thionville was settled as early as the time of th ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, on November 12, 1944.

Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir is a reservoir located near the borough of Howard, Pennsylvania. The lake is formed due to the damming of Bald Eagle Creek, a tributary of the West Branch Susquehanna River, as well as other smaller creeks. The dam ...

Bald Eagle State Park Bald Eagle State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Howard, Liberty, and Marion townships in Centre County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park includes the Foster Joseph Sayers Reservoir, formed by damming Bald Eagle Creek and ot ...

near his hometown of Howard, Pennsylvania is named in his honor. He is buried in Schenck's Cemetery in Howard, Pennsylvania.

Medal of Honor citation

Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company L, 357th Infantry, 90thInfantry Division. Entered service at: Howard, Pa. Birth: Marsh Creek, Pa. Place and date: Near Thionville, France, November 12, 1944. Killed in action. G.O. No.: 89, October 19, 1945. Citation:

He displayed conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty in combat on 12 November 1944, near Thionville, France. During an attack on strong hostile forces entrenched on a hill he fearlessly ran up the steep approach toward his objective and set up his machinegun 20 yards from the enemy. Realizing it would be necessary to attract full attention of the dug-in Germans while his company crossed an open area and flanked the enemy, he picked up his gun, charged through withering machinegun and rifle fire to the very edge of the emplacement, and there killed 12 German soldiers with devastating close-range fire. He took up a position behind a log and engaged the hostile infantry from the flank in an heroic attempt to distract their attention while his comrades attained their objective at the crest of the hill. He was killed by the very heavy concentration of return fire; but his fearless assault enabled his company to sweep the hill with minimum of casualties, killing or capturing every enemy soldier on it. Pfc. Sayers' indomitable fighting spirit, aggressiveness, and supreme devotion to duty live on as an example of the highest traditions of the military service.

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References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sayers, Foster Joseph 1924 births 1944 deaths United States Army Medal of Honor recipients People from Centre County, Pennsylvania United States Army personnel killed in World War II World War II recipients of the Medal of Honor United States Army soldiers

Medal of Honor citation

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