Private First Class Willis was a member of the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 24 March 1951 and returned to duty on 11 April 1951. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on 20 May 1951.

Willis was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.