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Gilbert (Bud) Martin Ambur was born near Beresford, South Dakota on March 25, 1922 to Albin and Grace M. (Burney) Ambur. He spent his first years of school in Beresford, and attended Canton High School, graduating in 1940. Gilbert stood at the top of his class, taking part in athletics and other school activities. He was active in Future Farmers of America all four years, being president of the local chapter and secretary of the state chapter. He played basketball and football, was a member of the C-Club Scitamard, and carried the lead in the senior class play. Having been one of only 25 graduates in the state awarded one of the Sears Roebuck Fellowship scholarships, Gilbert attended South Dakota State College in Brookings, South Dakota for two years for special training in agriculture. He was the second highest in his class at the end of his first year there. He was involved with the rifle team while he was a freshman at the college, as well as enrolling in ROTC. On the State College campus, Gilbert was one of the “44 Kings,” a group of “war-bound ROTC students.” There remains an unopened bottle of expensive Scotch that was purchased after the war to be given to the “last man of the 44 Kings still standing.” Another of the 44 Kings, Thomas Smith also did not come home from the war.

Ambur was enlisted in the Enlisted Reserve Corps on June 9, 1942, and reported for active duty on April 12, 1943 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Corporal Ambur was honorably discharged April 11, 1944, to accept a commission. He was appointed Second Lieutenant on April 12, 1944 and entered active duty on the same date, reporting to Camp Robinson on April 21, where he trained recruits. After a short leave home, Second Lieutenant Ambur was sent overseas, arriving in England August 15, 1944. On August 18, he was sent into France, serving with the Infantry Replacement Group.