David Bahus was born in 1923. He was the 21-year-old son of Mr. And Mrs. Louis Toth, Sr., residing at 224 Walnut Street in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. In addition to his mother and step-father, Louis Toth Sr., Sgt. Bahus was survived by three brothers in the service. They are Cpl. Joseph Bahus, who served in the Pacific; Pvt. Andrew Bahus, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania; Carl Bahus, European Theater, and a step-brother, Cpl. Joseph Toth, England. Additional survivors not in the service included a sister, Betty, and a brother John, and another stepbrother, Wilmer Toth, formerly of the U. S. Army.

David enlisted in the Army on July 23, 1942, and received his basic training at Camp Mackall, N. C.  He volunteered for paratroop training and received training to Camp Toccoa, Ga.  David was assigned to Company A (Able), 2^nd Battalion, 506^th Parachute Infantry Regiment. (The HBO 10 hour mini series “Band of Brothers” is the story of E (Easy) Company, 506^th PIR.)

David Bahus, standing with members of Company A. (Adobe PDF File)

In November, his unit was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia for actual parachute training. David qualified for parachute wings after his fifth jump, on December 19, 1942.

In June 1943, the 506^th PIR was attached to the 101^st Airborne Division. The entire division embarked on two ships leaving New York Harbor on September 5, 1943 for transport to England.  The 506th embarked aboard the SS Samaria, a Cunard Line Ocean liner converted to a troop ship.

Able Company spent the next 9 months stationed in the village of Aldbone, Wilshire, England, training for D-Day.

The entire 101^st (and 82^nd) Airborne Division was assigned to participate in the liberation of Europe– code named “Overlord”.  David’s Division was to parachute at night behind “Utah” beach in Normandy, an integral part of the Overlord plans, code named “Operation Chicago”. They were to secure the beach exits and prevent German Reinforcements from arriving. The 506^th PIR objective was to secure the two southern beach exits, on the Coutentin Peninsula. 1st Battalion was was to take Pouppeville, and secure Utah Beach Exit #1.

David (right) with friend, Alvin Stortz

On the early morning hours of Tuesday June 6, 1944, David embarked with his squad on a C-47 Transport aircraft (military version of a DC-3) for D-Day. Because of the weight and amount of the equipment they wore (often 100 pounds), each man had to be helped to stand up, and to board the transport. The aircraft left the field at 1 a.m. to head for France.  Low clouds and devastating anti aircraft fire damaged or destroyed a number of aircraft, and the huge formation of aircraft was broken and off course.  Many of the men jumped missing their targets, but small groups joined and improvised to achieve their objectives.  Of the 81 Transports carrying the 506^th into battle, only 10 dropped on their target area. Most of those 10 aircraft carried David’s Battalion.

The story of their heroic success on June 6^th is well known.  David’s unit, despite heavy casualties, continued to advance and liberate France.

In September, David’s unit was involved in Operation Market Garden, a massive parachute jump into the Netherlands to capture bridges into Germany.  The concept was to parachute deep behind enemy lines as an end run around the flanks of the heavily defended German lines in France.  This operation was conceived by British Field Marshall Montgomery, as an attempt to shorten the war.  However, the operation was a complete failure, as the bridges were too far from the supply lanes, and infantry could not break through to the bridges.  The movie “A Bridge Too Far” describes a portion of this operation.  It was during this operation, on Sept 17, 1944,  that David was injured during a jump. He was hospitalized in France and returned to duty on October 4, 1944.

On December 16^th The Germans mounted a massive offensive driving deep into the thinly spread allied lines in an attempt to split allied forces and to encircle them. This became known as the Battle of the Buldge.  Bastogne, Belgium was a strategic crossroad town that had to be held by the Allies at all costs.  The 101^st Airborne Division was rushed in by trucks to reinforce this city, before it was surrounded.

On December 18^th, David’s Battalion (1^st Battalion, 506^th PIR) embarked on 13 50-man trucks to be transported 107 miles to Bastogne, arriving just before 5 a.m.  They were rushed into battle low on ammunition, and with no cold weather clothing during one of the coldest winters in years. David’s Battalion was assigned the job of reinforcing the nearby town of Noville, which commanded a major road to Bastogne.  Noville was held by elements of a surrounded armor unit, holding against an onslaught of heavy German Armor and infantry.

On December 19^th, David’s unit was able to breach the German lines to reinforce the town, despite a heavy counterattacks.  They held the city for two days of intense combat, and were ordered to withdrawal back to Bastogne, when it became obvious they could not hold against the massive assaults.

On December 20^th, David was Wounded in Action, probably by artillery fire.  According to the Battalion official report,

“It was impossible to take care of all the wounded in the two aid stations. Our medical officer and several of the aid men were badly wounded.”

Sergeant David Bahus Died Of Wounds on December 26, 1944 in Belgium.

On January 14, 1945, his mother received a telegram stating David, “died in wounds inflicted in a battle in France.” According to this telegram, he died on December 26, the day after Christmas.

The body was initially interred in a temporary military cemetery, but was returned to the States aboard the U.S.S. Army Transport Barney Kirschaum in 1949. The remains were transferred to the George J. Ennis funeral home, 223 Second Avenue Phoenixville. Services were held on March 24, 1949, at the Hungarian Reformed Church at 3^rd and Main St. (Today Parkside United Church of Christ).  Interment was at Morris Cemetery on Nutt Rd. (Rt. 23) with full military honors.