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Remember...Austin Leonard Gear
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Austin Leonard Gear was born to Della Blanche McCauley Gear and Worlie Gear in Huttonsville, West Virginia, on November 19, 1922. The 1930 Federal Census record shows the family living in Huttonsville. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Gear included Golda, Woodrow, Frank, Lucille, Laura, Omar, Alva, and Virgie, as well as Austin. The family also had a servant living with them. Mr. Gear's occupation was listed as farmer. In 1940, the family had grown and then included Billie and Thelma. In addition, Lucille had married, and her husband and child were living with the family. Austin was working for the CCC in soil conservation. Mr. Gear was then working on secondary roads, but the census doesn't say whether there was a higher level to the organization, such as Department of Highways or State Road.
Austin Gear registered for military service on June 30, 1942, and enlisted on December 13, 1942, at Fort Hayes in Columbus, Ohio. The highest level of education recorded was grammar school, and he was unemployed at the time.
Austin Gear was placed with 141st Infantry, 36th Infantry Division. The division had been mobilized for the war in November 1940 and trained in the U.S. until April 1943, when it moved overseas. It trained in North Africa until September 1943, when it became the first American combat division to land in Europe. (John C. L. Scribner, "36th Infantry Division: The 'Texas' Division," Texas Military Forces Museum, accessed 26 January 2021, http://www.texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org/texas.htm.)
The "Combat Chronicle" of the 36th Infantry Division offers this account of the Division's encounters in North Africa and the Italian Campaign:
The 36th Infantry Division landed in North Africa, 13 April 1943, and trained at Arzew and Rabat. It first saw action, 9 September 1943, when it landed at Paestum on the Gulf of Salerno. The waiting enemy launched counterattacks, but the 36th advanced slowly, securing the area from Agropoli to Altavilla. After a brief rest the 36th returned to combat, 15 November. It captured Mount Maggiore, Mount Lungo, and the village of San Pietro despite strong enemy positions and severe winter weather. This grueling campaign was marked by futile attempts to establish a secure bridgehead across the Rapido River, 1 January to 8 February 1944. After assisting the 34th Division in the attack on Cassino and fighting defensively along the Rapido River, the 36th withdrew, 12 March 1944, for rest and rehabilitation. On 25 May, the Division landed at Anzio, drove north to capture Velletri, 1 June, and entered Rome on the 5th. Pushing up from Rome, the 36th encountered sharp resistance at Magliano, but reached Piombino, 26 June, before moving back to Paestum for rest and rehabilitation. ("36th Infantry Division," U.S. Army Center of Military History, last updated 31 January 2021, accessed 2 February 2021, https://history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/cbtchron/cc/036id.htm.)
During the Italian Campaign, Austin Gear spent the month of February in the hospital. According to the hospital records, the 21-year-old was admitted for battle injuries and treated for a cold injury to his foot. Apparently, there was more to the story than this because he was awarded a Silver Star for his actions leading up to his evacuation to the hospital. The Silver Star citation, issued through a press release, states:
During the heavy concentration of enemy artillery and mortar fire accompanying a severe counterattack in Italy on February 11, 1944, he was painfully wounded. Courageously refusing to give us his position, he determinedly maintained effective fire against hostile forces and covered his sector for four days until the danger of infection from his injury compelled his evacuation.
His next of kin was listed as Mrs. Della B. Gear, his mother, who lived in Mill Creek.
He was discharged in March and returned to his unit. No record was found that detailed his return to his unit, but he was with his unit on June12. 144, when he was killed in action. According to the combat chronicles, the division, at this time, had left Rome in this time frame, and had met sharp resistance at Magliano.
Hospital admission records for Austin Gear in June 1944 indicate that he was a battle casualty having received wounds due to bullets, from which he died.
| No record was found that indicates when Austin Gear's remains were returned to West Virginia. The military headstone application was filed in 1949. Austin Gear was laid to rest in the Old Brick Church Cemetery, near the gravesite of his father, who had died in 1941, and his nephew, Austin Gear, who had died in 1946. Austin Gear's brother, Woodrow Gear, also served in World War II, returned home, and died in an accident at home in 1953. Their brother, Alva Gear, also served during World War II. His obituary says that he served in the 82nd Airborne, and a photo posted to his Find A Grave memorial seems to show Alva Gear in a Navy uniform with a machinist's mate insignia. |  Military headstone for Pfc. Austin L. Gear, Old Brick Church Cemetery, Huttonsville. Courtesy Cynthia Mullens |
Article prepared by Cynthia Mullens
January 2021
West Virginia Archives and History welcomes any additional information that can be provided about these veterans, including photographs, family names, letters and other relevant personal history.
