Who is Wally from The Cider House Rules and what is their importance?

Wally, who is about the same age as Homer, brings his teenage girlfriend, Candy, to St. Cloud's to have an abortion. Wally and Candy invite Homer to the orchard, where Wally suggests that Homer should bring back a bunch of apple trees to plant at the orphanage. Wally goes to college before enlisting in WWII, where he serves as a bomber pilot. He later marries Candy.