Forrest Guth, picture by Robert Capa
in:
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1921 births,
2009 deaths,
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Forrest Guth
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Sergeant
Forrest L Guth (6 February 1921 – 9 August 2009)
[1] was one of the 140 original members of the
Easy Company, 2nd
Battalion,
506th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the
101st Airborne Division,
United States Army during the
Second World War.
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Youth
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Forrest Guth (pronounced
"Gooth")
[2] was born to John H. R. and Mayme L. Guth in the small district of Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. He is a direct descendant of the original German settlers who established themselves in the inland counties of eastern Pennsylvania in the 1700s. These early colonizers were known as the Pennsylvania Dutch, although they were not Dutch, but rather of Germanic origin and German-speaking heritage.
[3][3] Forrest was brought up in Fogelsville, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Allentown, in Upper Macungie Township.
Guth was fluent in the Pennsylvania Dutch language and would speak it with his best friends; Carl Fenstermaker and
Roderick Strohl who also became one of the 140 Easy company originals, although later C. Fenstermaker volunteered for the
Pathfinders and was transferred from 'Easy'.
[4]
Paratrooper Training
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In 1942, Guth was working for Bethlehem Steel making
armor plates for the Navy
[3] when the
Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor occurred. At that time, working for the defense industry meant that he was advised not to join as he was needed back at home producing steel plates, but he enlisted in the Army and volunteered for the paratroopers. He and two friends joined in 1942, and became part of the original
Easy Company of the
506th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
[3]
Forrest Guth during his time at 'Camp Mackall'.
Easy Company consisted of 132 enlisted men and 8 officers. Forrest went to basic training at
Camp Toccoa,
[5] Georgia where the
Regiment's motto was born: "Currahee," named after the mountain where the regiment were forced to run the 6-mile round trip up and down daily.
[5] After
parachute training at
Fort Benning, Guth made his qualifying jumps and received his
Jump Wings.
[6]
Easy Co. embarked on September 5, 1943, and arrived at Liverpool, England. Guth was stationed in Aldbourne, Wiltshire.
[7] Training was carried out according to the later
Invasion of France, and numerous full equipment nights jumps were made. He and his unit were also involved in the pre D-Day
Exercise Tiger at Slapton Sands, Devon.
Military Service
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Guth had the ability to repair and modify weapons. For instance, he could make an M-1 rifle fully automatic.
[8] He became the armorer for his comrades.
[9] Guth's uniform was unique, as Guth sew on it many extra pockets to carry extra equipment.
[10]
Guth made his first combat jump into
Normandy in June 6, 1944.
[11] He met
Walter Gordon (veteran), John Eubanks and
Floyd Talbert after landing in a meadow.
[12] The group found the remains of the crashed plane which contained Easy Company members including Lieutenant
Thomas Meehan.
[13] The group fought alongside with a group of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne division before joining their own unit.
[14]
In September 17, 1944, he jumped into the occupied Netherlands as part of
Operation Market Garden. Guth was injured while landing because of parachute malfunction. He was taken to an army hospital in England. He rejoined Easy Company in Mourmelon, France, before the
101st Airborne Division were transported to Bastogne to fight in the
Battle of the Bulge in December 1944.
[15]
In January 1945, Easy Company moved to Haguenau. Guth was selected for a patrol mission across the Moder River led by Sergeant Ken Mercier because of his German speaking ability.
[16] In March 1945, Guth won a thirty-day furlough to return to the States in Mourmelon, France. The war ended before Guth could rejoin his unit.
[17] Guth was discharged in mid-October 1945.
[18]