WW2 Fallen - Woods Lear, 96th Infantry Division + well known character actor

Pvt. Woods Walker served with the 96th Infantry Division in Leyte, Philippines.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6981245/woods-walker-lear
https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/usa/pacific/philippines/96th-infantry-division-troops-during-invasion-of-leyte/ 

Woods Walker Lear never had a chance to reach 100 years old today. Instead, he sacrificed his life for our freedom.

He was born on March 26, 1919 in Kentucky. His parents Joseph and Minnie were also both born in Kentucky. His father worked as a farmer. Woods had four older sister, three older brothers, a younger sister, and two younger brothers. By 1940 Woods had completed three years of schooling and was working as a farm laborer, living with his parents. He had a son who was born in April 1940 (and died in 2011). He later married Carrie Conn. I don't know if they had children.

He was drafted into the army in November 1943. He served as a private in Company B, 1st Battalion, 382nd Infantry Regiment, 96th Infantry Division (nicknamed "Deadeye Division).

After training in the Hawaiian Islands, the 96th ID was part of the American campaign to retake Leyte. The 96th ID landed at Tanauan and Dulag on October 20, 1944. Pvt. Lear was killed in action on November 4, 1944, when the 96th ID was pushing north from Baybay.

His grave is at Cartersville Cemetery in Paint Lick, Kentucky. His widow remarried in 1948 and died in 2006.

Thank you Pvt. Lear for your sacrifice. Let's Earn It for Woods.

STROTHER MARTIN
The well known character actor Strother Martin was born in Indiana on the same day as Woods Lear. Strother was a gifted swimmer and diver as a youth. He won the National Junior Springboard Championship when he was 17. When the war started he joined the Navy and reached the rank of petty officer third class. The Navy made him a swimming instructor for the length of the war.

http://www.aveleyman.com/ActorCredit.aspx?ActorID=11233

After the war Strother moved to California and worked as a swimming instructor and movie extra in swimming roles. He found steady work as a character actor in dozens of movies and TV shows. His best known role was that of the prison captain in Cool Hand Luke where he had the memorable line, "What we have here is a failure to communicate." He died in 1980.

Last year on this date I profiled B-25 bombardier Patrick Griffin. You can read about Patrick here.

On behalf of the fallen, if you would like to see more people become aware of this project to honor the WW2 fallen, be sure to share with others on Twitter, Facebook, etc. Thanks for your interest!

I created this video to explain why I started this project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXt8QA481lY.

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WW2 Fallen 100 is supported by

The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation

“Where Every Day is Memorial Day”

http://www.tggf.org