Corporal Eschbach was born on Aug. 10, 1896, at Barto, PA, son of Daniel Gehman & Emma (Heintz) Eschbach. After going through F. and M. Academy, he entered Franklin and Marshall College in the fall of 1914. He was a member of the Marshall Club and the Porter Scientific Society. During his Junior year he was on the Junior Hop Committee, and was very well liked by all his classmates. He was studying for a Bachelor of Science Degree.

He enlisted late in April 1917, in the Naval Reserve. Impatient because he had not as yet been called to active duty, he applied for a transfer on May 7, 1917, from the Naval Reserve to the Hospital Corps. He was immediately transferred and sent the same day to Harrisburg without having time to say good-bye to his parents. He left Harrisburg for Columbus, Ohio, from where he was duly transferred to Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. Here he was attached to the First Division Hospital Corps. He was given his corporalcy and made orderly to Major Grissinger, Head Surgeron of the Post Hospital at Fort Benjamin Harrison. Corporal Eschbach was in training here from May to October 1917. On the 30 October 1917 he embarked for overseas duty on the Crown Princessen Cecelia, and arrived in Brest, France on 13 November. He was attached to the Second Battalion, Medical Dept., 28th Infantry, of the 1st Division of the A.E.F.

He was in and out of action from March 1918 until his death. During the heat of the battle on 28 May 1918, Corporal Eschbach was killed. A subsequent letter from the Red Cross states that "Corporal Eschbach was instantly killed on May 28th by a high explosive shell while carrying a little with a wounded man on it from the Battalion Aid Station to the Regimental Aid Station. He was buried in the vicinity of Villiers-Tourniel. He was exceedingly well liked by the men of the detachment. He died while splendidly performing his duty under heavy fire." He is now buried in Fairview Cemetery, Boyertown, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, 1920 Franklin and Marshall College Yearbook, Lancaster, PA, 1918 publication "Our Nation's Roll of Honor""