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 Japan ese 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