Pvt William H. Bush

William Bush's Story ...

William Bush was born in Illinois, on April 20, 1919. He was the son of Duey and Flossie Bush. He had two brothers and they didn't joined the army.

Before he joined the ranks, William worked at a gravel plant in Danville, Illinois and he drove a cab at times.

In December 1939 William married Katarina Mary and they set up Housekeeping & started their family in Danville Illinois.

They had two very young children, William Bush (4 yaers old) and Mary lou (5 years old) and Katarina was pregnant with Diana Jean when he was drafted.

Diana Jean born November 21, 1944. Just 6 weeks before William was killed.

William was drafted June 1944 at Fort Walters in Texas, before being sent to Belgium as a rifleman with the 83rd Division.

The NICKNAME of the 83rd is " Thunderbolt Division". The division was originally called the "Ohio Division" due to the fact that its personnel in both World War I and World War II was to a large extent from Ohio. In March 1945, however, it was felt that through combat losses and turnover in personnel the 83rd had changed from an Ohio outfit to one representing all the states. A contest was held to select a new name and out of more than 1000 entries the name "Thunderbolt" was selected.

The division was re-activated on August 15, 1942 and began its training at Camp Atterbury, Indiana where it was the first division to open this camp.

In July and August 1943 it participated in Second Army maneuvers in Tennessee and in spite of being the "youngest" division taking part in the maneuvers proved itself a tough, aggressive outfit In September 1943 it moved to Camp Breckenridge, Kentucky and trained there for the remainder of the year and for the first two months in 1944

The 83rd left the United States for foreign duty on April 6, 1944 and arrived in England on 16 April 1944. After Intensive training in England and in the northern part of Wales, the Division landed at Omaha Beach, 18 June 1944, and entered the hedgerow struggle south of Carentan, 27 June. Taking the offensive, the 83rd reached the St. Lo-Periers Road, 25 July, and advanced 8 miles against strong opposition as the Normandy campaign ended. After a period of training, elements of the Division took Chateauneuf, 5 August, and Dinard, 7 August, and approached the heavily fortified area protecting St. Malo. Intense fighting reduced enemy strong points and a combined attack against the Citadel Fortress of St. Servan caused its surrender, 17 August. While elements moved south to protect the north bank of the Loire River, the main body of the Division concentrated south of Rennes for patrolling and reconnaissance activities. Elements reduced the garrison at Ile de Cezembre, which surrendered, 2 September. The movement into Luxembourg was completed on 25 September. Taking Remich on the 28th and patrolling defensively along the Moselle, the 83rd resisted counterattacks and advanced to Siegfried Line defenses across the Sauer after capturing Grevenmacher and Echternach, 7 October. As the initial movement in operation "Unicorn," the Division took Le Stromberg Hill in the vicinity of Basse Konz against strong opposition, 5 November, and beat off counterattacks. Moving to the Hurtgen Forest, the 83rd thrust forward from Gressenich to the west bank of the Roer. It entered the Battle of the Bulge, 27 December, striking at Rochefort and reducing the enemy salient in a bitter struggle. The Division moved back to Belgium and Holland for rehabilitation and training, 22 January 1945.

On 1 March, the 83rd advanced toward the Rhine in the operation "Grenade," and captured Neuss. The west bank of the Rhine from North of Oberkassell to the Erft Canal was cleared and defensive positions established by 2 March and the Division renewed its training. The 83rd crossed the Rhine south of Wesel, 29 March, and advanced across the Munster Plain to the Weser, crossing it at Bodenwerder. As opposition disintegrated, Halle fell on 6 April. The Division crossed the Leine, 8 April, and attacked to the east, pushing over the Harz Mountain region and advancing to the Elbe at Barby. That city was taken on the 13th. The 83rd established a bridgehead over the river but evacuated the area to the Russians on 6 May 1945.

The 83rd returned to the US on March 26, 1946 (HQ) and was inactivated on April 5, 1946 at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey.

Memorial in the area where William died.

William was only 25 years old when he was killed in the area of Petit Langlire (Belgium).

The time he drafted to his death was only six months.

These days William H. Bush rests in the beautiful American Military Cemetery at Henri-Chapelle. He is remembered and honored by his two daughters Diana Shaw and Marylou Hazelbaker, by his granddaughter Kristy MacIntyre, his entire family, by Carine Parotte who adopted his final resting place at Henri-Chapelle, by every visitor of the American Cemetery at Henri-Chapelle and by every visitor of Remember our Liberators.