Forrest Guth

Sergeant Forrest L Guth (6 February 1921 – 9 August 2009) 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.

Youth
Forrest Guth (pronounced "Gooth") 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. 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'.

Paratrooper Training
In 1942, Guth was working for Bethlehem Steel making armor plates for the Navy 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.

Easy Company consisted of 132 enlisted men and 8 officers. Forrest went to basic training at Camp Toccoa, 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. After parachute training at Fort Benning, Guth made his qualifying jumps and received his Jump Wings.

Easy Co. embarked on September 5, 1943, and arrived at Liverpool, England. Guth was stationed in Aldbourne, Wiltshire. 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
Guth had the ability to repair and modify weapons. For instance, he could make an M-1 rifle fully automatic. He became the armorer for his comrades. Guth's uniform was unique, as Guth sew on it many extra pockets to carry extra equipment.

Guth made his first combat jump into Normandy in June 6, 1944. He met Walter Gordon (veteran), John Eubanks and Floyd Talbert after landing in a meadow. The group found the remains of the crashed plane which contained Easy Company members including Lieutenant Thomas Meehan. The group fought alongside with a group of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne division before joining their own unit.

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.

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. 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. Guth was discharged in mid-October 1945.

Later life
Guth enrolled at Millersville State Teacher's College (now Millersville University) in Millersville, Pennsylvania. He then went to New York University to obtain his master's degree.

He became a teacher in Norfolk, Virginia. He met his wife Harriet there and they married in 1949. The couple moved to Delaware to work and continued to live there after their retirement. Guth died in August 9, 2009 in Hockessin, Delaware.

Band of Brothers
Although Guth was one of the original 140 Toccoa men of Easy Company, he was not included in the Band of Brothers TV miniseries. His character was actually planned and his unique uniform had been re-created.

His role in the patrol as the interpreter in Haguenau was replaced by David Kenyon Webster in the episode of the Last Patrol.

Forrest Guth in Museums
 Original WWII uniforms and memorabilia of Forrest Guth are on display at these museums :

D-DAY PARATROOPERS HISTORICAL CENTER - Battle of NORMANDY - Saint-Côme-du-Mont, France

DECEMBER 44 MUSEUM - Battle of the BULGE - La Gleize, Belgium