Ben Lear Benjamin Lear ( May 12 , 1879 – November 2 , 1966 ) was a United States Army General . Ben Lear was born in Hamilton , Ontario on May 12 , 1879 . His military service began in 1898 , when he enlisted with the 1st Colorado Infantry , USV , for the Spanish - American War as a First Sergeant . He was promoted to second lieutenant during the Philippine - American War in the 1st Colorado and later in the 36th Infantry , USV , but joined the regular army as a sergeant at the end of the war . He subsequently served in World War I . Early years . He was a 1912 Olympian , part of the equestrian team which won the Bronze Medal in the three day team event . Lear graduated from the Army School of the Line in 1922 , the Army General Staff School in 1923 , and the Army War College in 1926 . He was promoted to Brigadier General in May 1936 and Major General in October 1938 . He commanded the 1st Cavalry Division from 1936 to 1938 , and the Pacific Sector of the Panama Canal Zone from 1938 to 1940 . World War II - Stateside duty . He was commanding general of U . S . Second Army from October 20 , 1940 to April 25 , 1943 and was promoted to temporary lieutenant general in October 1940 . As such , he was responsible for training a large number of U . S . soldiers during World War II . He became known as a strict disciplinarian . It was in the lead - up to these maneuvers that Lear acquired the nickname " Yoo - Hoo " . He was playing golf at the Country Club in Memphis , Tennessee in civilian clothes on Sunday , July 6 , 1941 , when a convoy of 80 U . S . Army trucks carrying men of the 35th Division rolled past . The troops in the passing trucks subjected a group of women in shorts to a series of whistles and " lewd and obscene " catcalls . Lear had the convoy stopped and told the officers that this conduct was unacceptable , and they had disgraced the army . Lear ' s punishment was to make every one of the 350 men in the convoy march 15 miles ( 24 km ) of the 45 mile ( 72 km ) trip back to Camp Joseph T . Robinson , Arkansas in three 5 mile sections . This they did in the 97 °F ( 36C ) heat . Many men straggled and a number collapsed . There was storm of public criticism of Lear ' s action from people who felt that the soldiers had been harshly and collectively punished when they had done nothing wrong . The commander of the 35th Division , Major General Ralph E . Truman was well - connected politically , his cousin being Senator Harry S . Truman , and some Congressmen called for Lear to be retired . However , to Army eyes this was not a case of sexual harassment but of indiscipline , and no action was taken against Lear . The derogatory nickname " Yoo - Hoo " stuck . During the Louisiana Maneuvers , Lear led his U . S . Second Army against the U . S . Third Army under Lieutenant General Walter Krueger . In these maneuvers , Lear judged the control and discipline of the 35th Division to be unsatisfactory and relieved Truman of his command . World War II - European Theater . Lear did retire in May 1943 , but was immediately recalled to active duty to serve on the Personnel Board of the Secretary of War , and promoted to Lieutenant General . On the death of Lieutenant General Lesley J . McNair in Normandy in July 1944 , Lear became Commanding General of Army Ground Forces . After the German counter - attack in the Ardennes , caused a manpower crisis , he was appointed Deputy Commander of European Theater of Operations , US Army , responsible for Theater Manpower . As such , he overhauled the replacement system , but the war against Germany ended before the full benefits of his reforms could be realised . He retired again in July 1945 , but was promoted to General on July 19 , 1954 by special Act of Congress ( Public Law 83 - 508 ) . He died at Murfreesboro , Tennessee on November 2 , 1966 , and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery , Section 4 , Grave 2690 .