Florida native William Bush enlisted at Camp Blanding, Florida on March 20.1943.  His stated residence was Hillsborough county, FL which is the Tampa area.  His highest level of education was 1 year of college, he had dropped out from Vanderbilt college to enlist, probably to his parents dismay.

He was sent to OCS and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant sometime in 1943 or 1944.

On 9 August 1944, 2nd Lt William D. Bush was transferred to Company "I", 508th PIR from the 82nd Airborne Division's 11th Replacement Depot in England and was assigned the principal duty of assistant platoon leader. 

2d Lt Bush was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, probably during the Holland campaign.  He was appointed to the rank of First Lieutenant on 22 December 1944 and took his platoon into combat in Belgium.  On 14 Jan 1945, 1st Lt Bush was transferred to Company G.

STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN --- W. D. Bush, Of Tampa, a veteran of Europe who gave up his first lieutenant’s commission to enter West Point as a plebe, demonstrates bayonet technique during cadet maneuvers at the military academy.  Bush, son of Detective Inspector Bush of Tampa, was a member of the 508th parachute infantry regiment of the 82ndf airborne division, and received his promotion to first lieutenant on the battlefield.  He holds the Bronze Star Medal, Regimental Unit Citation, Parachutist Wings wih gold star, and the Combat Infantry Badge --- (AP Photo)

Then, on 15 March 1945, new orders came in relieving Lt Bush and transferring him to USHAPU (U.S. Military Academy Preparatory Unit) at Cornell University per Order ETOUSA 13 Feb 1945.

Lt Bush had somehow managed to get an assignment to West Point and would hit the books at Cornell to prepare for life as a cadet. Unfortunately, his life would be cut short in Korea. 

Read his obituary written by USMA classmates (next)