Lieutenant Colonel Robert Henry Willis, An Airman's Story



Lieutenant Colonel Robert Henry. Willis was born on 7 September 1886 in Williston, South Carolina. 

He attended the Citadel and graduated in 1908. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Willis was first ordered to the 6th Infantry, and on 1 January 1910, his unit deployed to Mindanao, Philippines.

He was accepted into the Signal Corps Flight School and became a military aviator.

Lieutenant Colonel Robert Willis was stationed at Fort Sill, OK, Fort Sam, TX, and Columbus, New Mexico, with the First Aero Squadron. He flew during the Mexican Expedition, crashing twice. After one, realizing that his plane was totaled, he set fire to it and walked 65 miles back to San Antonio with a broken ankle.

On 1 September 1918, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Willis was ordered to become the Chief of Air Service of the Seventh Army Corps, but he died on 13 September from an accidental weapons discharge.

General Pershing wrote a letter to his father praising Lieutenant Colonel Robert H. Willis and describing him as “imbued with the ideals of the true soldier.”


He rests at the Simpsonville Municipal Cemetery in Simpsonville, South Carolina.

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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia. 

In addition to her travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com

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