Egan was discharged in 1947, after the war's end, and enrolled in Yale University, graduating in 1950.

During the Korean War, Egan was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant and recalled to active duty, serving in the 2nd Infantry Division until his discharge in 1952.

[3][4] In 1977, Egan resigned from the House when he was appointed United States associate attorney general, by President Jimmy Carter.

[1][2][6][7] Egan's willingness to occasionally support an unpopular cause, driven to do so by his own set of ethics, won the respect of colleagues, Republicans and Democrats alike.

In 2001, he was one of the first people appointed to the newly created Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District by Governor Roy Barnes.