Name: 1LT Joseph F. Willis
Status: Killed In Action from an incident on 03/26/1969 while performing the duty of Pilot.
Age at death: 25.9
Date of Birth: 04/18/1943
Home City: Westland, MI
Service: AR branch of the reserve component of the U.S. Army.
Unit: A/7/17 CAV
Major organization: 1st Aviation Brigade
Flight class: 68-520/68-36
Service: AR branch of the U.S. Army.
The Wall location: 28W-055
Short Summary: Shot down, crashed and burned with observer WO1 John M. Turner.
Aircraft: OH-6A tail number 66-17789
Service number: O5248078
Country: South Vietnam
MOS: 1981 = 19 Rotary Wing Aviator (Unit Commander)
Primary cause: Hostile Fire
Major attributing cause: aircraft connected not at sea
Compliment cause: fire or burns
Vehicle involved: helicopter
Position in vehicle: pilot
Started Tour: 01/28/1969
"Official" listing: helicopter air casualty - pilot
Length of service: 02
Location: Pleiku Province II Corps.
Reason: aircraft lost or crashed
Casualty type: Hostile - killed
married male U.S. citizen
Race: Caucasian
Religion: Presbyterian
Burial information: GOLDEN OAKS MEMORIAL GARDENS, ASHLAND, KY
The following information secondary, but may help in explaining this incident.
Category of casualty as defined by the Army: battle dead Category of personnel: active duty Army Military class: officer
This record was last updated on 05/25/1998
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Date posted on this site: 11/13/2023
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