A World War II veteran of the 42nd Infantry Division shared his battle stories with 300 New York Army National Guard Soldiers currently serving at the division’s headquarters for the unit’s annual meal.
Lockered “Bud” Gahs of Perry Hall, Maryland, who served as a Soldier in the division’s 222nd Infantry Regiment, shared his memories on December 2, 2022 at the Hilton Hotel in Albany, New York.
Gahs, 98, is a member of the Rainbow Division Veterans Foundation, which helped organize the event.
Hosting gahs is an integral part of passing on the Rainbow Division legacy to its newest soldiers, said Maj. Gen. Thomas Spencer, commander of the 42nd Division.
The history and achievements of the division unite our soldiers from all eras, he said.
Originally created from National Guard units in World War I, the 42nd Infantry Division was reactivated for World War II and fought in southern France and Germany, capturing the cities of Würzburg, Schweinfurt and Munich and liberating the Dachau concentration camp along with the 45th and 12th Infantry Armored Divisions .
In 1947 the division became part of the New York Army National Guard and served as combat headquarters in Iraq in 2004-05 and in Kuwait in 2020.
Gahs, drafted in 1943, served in the anti-tank company of the 222nd Infantry. As a truck driver, it was his job to maneuver the guns into position.
Gahs told the audience what it was like to serve with the division during the war.
With no artillery and supporting units, the 42nd’s three infantry regiments were transferred to France in November 1944 as the Army faced shortages in manpower.
Gahs and his fellow infantrymen faced the German counter-offensive near Strausburg, France, dubbed Operation Nordwind, launched in conjunction with the Battle of the Bulge further north in the Ardennes.
Gahs and his unit defended a town called Schweghausen. During combat on January 25, 1945, Gahs remained at his post for hours, fending off repeated German attacks with his M3 submachine gun, known for its appearance as the Grease Gun.
“We lost two soldiers from our squad that day,” Gahs said. “Once they (the Germans) left, we were thankful they didn’t set fire to the house while we were still hiding on the second floor.”
The army credited Gahs with killing ten enemy troops, wounding eight and capturing eight in his defense of the position. He received the Bronze Star for his actions.
Just 90 days later, Gahs advanced through Dachau and the infamous concentration camp with the 222nd Infantry.
Bud drove into Dachau on the day of his liberation, April 29, 1945, where he temporarily dragged security forces into the forest near the camp, expecting to meet SS prison guards there.
As the forest was being cleared, they heard a rustling, and a man crawled to Gahs.
“Dachau was a surprise for all of us,” he said of the camp’s liberation. “We didn’t know it was that bad.”
“We were ready to shoot if necessary,” Gahs explained, before the group of American GIs realized the man was a prisoner.
“To date, the most touching moment of my life was when this prisoner came up to me and kissed my boot. It brought a tear to my eye and still does.”
The regiment continued its advance and the next day Bud Gahs and the 42nd Division entered Munich, the birthplace of Nazism.
Gahs said it took some time before he realized what he had done that afternoon at the end of April 1945. Until 1972 he never went through the entrance gates of the concentration camp.
“Thank you, Bud, for telling the story of your exemplary heroism,” Spencer said as Gahs ended to a standing ovation from the soldiers of modern times. “You know better than anyone the price of freedom and we are all grateful to you.”
| Date of recording: | 07/12/2022 |
| Release Date: | 07/12/2022 15:49 |
| Story ID: | 434695 |
| Location: | ALBANY, NY, USA |
| Web Views: | 26 |
| Download: | 0 |
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