William Wesley Willis, Jr.
Lieutenant Colonel, US Army
William Wesley Willis, Jr.
WKU Class of 1964
Bill Willis was born into a military family on 1 March 1945, where he assumed the role of military family member for the first 22 years of his life. Always good in school, Bill carried that love of education with him to Western Kentucky University in the fall of 1963, where he majored in chemistry and mathematics. He was introduced to the Pershing Rifles immediately, and he accepted the invitation to join. He immersed himself in his academic studies and in service to Company B-3, serving as a member of the drill teams, as the Color Guard Commander, and as the S-1 / Adjutant. His most challenging job that year was as the commander of the Rebelettes Girls Drill Team. Bill earned one of the first ever Army ROTC Scholarships, attesting to his academic excellence. For his senior year, Bill was elected Executive Officer of the P/R company and was also the commander of the Scabbard and Blade company. The cadre chose him to be the cadet brigade commander, where he adeptly oversaw two cadet battalions of over 500 cadets.
He met and pursued Sharon Roby after they were introduced by a Rebelette. They became an item and Bill eventually won over the Homecoming Queen as his bride.
His first active-duty assignment after the basic course was with the 552nd Artillery Group in Germany, where he learned the practical skills of being a lieutenant. Not unlike most Regular Army Officers of the day, Bill was reassigned to Vietnam in May of 1969. He was initially assigned to the 6/15th Field Artillery Battalion in Tay Ninh as an assistant S-3. In January 1970, he assumed command of A Battery, 7th Battalion, 8th Artillery. He was in direct support of an Australian Task Force in the Parrots Beak Region.
After Vietnam, he attended the Canadian Field Artillery Officers’ Advanced Course. While at the course, he shared how to defend a circular firebase based upon his experiences in Vietnam. He also completed the Canadian Jump School, earning his Canadian Jump Wings.
Before the end of the Canadian Career Course, FA Branch tapped Bill to attend the University of Texas at El Paso for a master’s in mechanical engineering. After earning his degree, he went on to Ft Bliss. There, Bill served as the Soviet Air Marshall and planned Soviet Air Attacks on the Fulda Gap region of Germany in a US Army generated simulation. He wrote FORTRAN programs detailing the Soviet attack plans using real life aircraft attack capabilities and tactics. He was offered a chance to command again at the captain level. He commanded the Howitzer Battery, 2d Squadron, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, where he tested the new Copperhead round. His work had a major impact on the fielding of the Copperhead and the other weapons systems he worked on.
His final assignment in his 21-year career was to HQDA as the Executive Secretary for the Army Systems Acquisition Review Committee. After his 21 years of Active Duty, Bill began a second career in what he believed he was born to do, and that was teach. His highest recognition was given by the Governor of Virginia when he was selected as the 2006-2007 Virginia Teacher of the Year in Virginia Education Region IV.
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