Penrose D. Shearer was born on October 14, 1920. He was the son of Isabel Shearer. He enlisted in the service on March 6, 1942. Penrose served in Company F, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, as a Private First Class during World War II.

On the night before D-Day, June 6, 1944, American paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division were deployed near Sainte-Mère-Église, France. The town had recently been attacked, and a fire ignited by a stray bomb had drawn German soldiers and villagers into the town square to form a bucket brigade. The area was well-lit due to the fire, and when two planes mistakenly dropped paratroopers directly over the village, they became exposed and easy targets for the Germans.

Among the paratroopers who were Killed in Action was PFC Shearer. He is now buried in the New Church Hill Cemetery, Turbett Township, Juniata County, Pennsylvania, USA. PFC Shearer was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart in recognition of his bravery and sacrifices.