United States Army Lieutenant General. Born and raised in Anderson, Indiana. He graduated from West Point in 1913, from the Cavalry School in 1924, the Command and General Staff School in 1925 and the Army War College in 1930. He married Josephine Frost Woodhull in June, 1918. He was a military intelligence officer in the Philippines, 1932 to 1934 and assigned to the 1st Cavalry (Mechanized) in 1934, and from that time was associated with the development of mechanization in the United States Army. With the onset of World War II, Willis was commanding 2nd Brigade of 2nd Armored Division (United States) under General George S. Patton. In January 1942, he assumed command of the division when Patton transferred to North Africa battle front to command I Armored Corps. In August 1942, he organized, trained and commanded 3rd Armored Corps composed of 7th Armored Division (United States) and 11th Armored Division (United States) at Camp Polk, Louisiana. Redesignated as XIX Corps (United States), Crittenberger brought XIX Corps to England in January 1944. He received the unconditional surrender of the German Liguarian Army on April 29, 1945. Willis was the Commanding General, Caribbean Defense Command and the Panama Canal Zone, from October 1945. He was decorated with the Distinguished Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star, Mexican Border Campaign Medal, the World War I Medal, the World War II Medal, the European Theater Campaign Medal, American Theater Campaign Medal (US), the Star of Abdon Calderon, First Class (Ecuador), Legion of Honor, Croix de Guerre (France), Bedalha de Guerra, Ordem do Merito Militar (Peru). In retirement, he advised President Dwight Eisenhower on national security matters. Willis served as president of the U.S. Military Academy Association of Graduates from 1955 to 1958 and president of the Greater New York Fund. He was also Chairman of the Free Europe Committee from 1956 to 1959. He died at the age of 89. His wife, Josephine is buried with him.