Wyoming County honors WWII hero with memorial highway dedication

Gainesville, N.Y. – The bravery and sacrifice of Technical Sergeant Walter Shearing, a Wyoming County native who lost his life during World War II, were honored on Saturday with the dedication of the "T Sgt. Walter Shearing Memorial Highway."

The ceremony took place alongside the newly installed highway sign on State Route 19 in Gainesville.

Senator George Borrello, who sponsored the Senate legislation for the highway designation, and Assemblyman David DiPietro, who carried the bill in the Assembly, led the event.

"On this day, and with Memorial Day approaching, the dedication of the T Sgt. Walter Shearing Memorial Highway stands as a lasting tribute to a true American hero - a son of Wyoming County whose courage and sacrifice embody the highest ideals of service," said Senator Borrello. "Sergeant Shearing’s legacy will live on and continue to inspire future generations to remember the high cost of the freedoms we enjoy."

Family members, local officials, veterans, and community members gathered to honor Shearing, who was born in Gainesville to farming parents. Despite being eligible for a farm deferment, Shearing enlisted in the Army after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He declined Officer Candidate School to become a drill instructor and quickly rose to the rank of Technical Sergeant in Company M of the 324th Infantry Regiment, 44th Division.

Shearing participated in several key campaigns, including the Battle of the Bulge, the largest and bloodiest battle fought by U.S. forces in WWII. He was killed in action on April 17, 1945, during an assault on a heavily defended German town. According to a letter from his commanding officer, Shearing was directing his machine gun crew's fire when he was fatally struck by a sniper.

For his bravery, Shearing was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and a Purple Heart. His Bronze Star citation praised his actions in December 1944, when he moved into the open under heavy enemy fire to draw attention away from his squad, enabling their advance.

"I am proud to help honor Walter Shearing, a local hero who enlisted in the Army after Pearl Harbor despite being eligible for a farm deferment," said Assemblyman DiPietro. "Walter served in Patton’s 7th Army, fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and gave his life in the closing days of the war. Though our debt to him can never be fully repaid, this highway will stand as a permanent reminder of his courage and commitment."

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