Willis Wiggins Bettis was the son of Edward Corbett Bettis and Reba Kate Wiggins.
Private First Class Willis W. Bettis was assigned to Headquarters Battery, 377th Airborne Field Artillery Battalion, 101st Airborne Division. He was killed in action 7 June 1944 during the Normandy Invasion.
He is interred at F,6,29, Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France.
Jefferson County Standard , August 3, 1944
Mr. and Mrs. E.C. Bettis of the Oakland community have received word from the War Department, that their son Pfc. Willis Bettis, was killed in action somewhere in France on June 7. Willis was a Paratroper in the 101st Division. He has been overseas a year. Besides his parents he is survived by three sisters, Mrs. Louis Cross, Mrs. Alma Seambough of Jefferson City and Mrs. Ruth Breeden of Oakridge; one brother, Curtis Bettis of the Navy. He was a graduate of Maury High School and a member of Oakland Methodist Church.
- Rank: Private First Class
- Date of birth: 6 May 1917
- Date of death: 7 June 1944
- County: Jefferson
- Hometown: Jefferson City
- Service Branch: Army/Army Air Forces
- Division/Assignment: 377th Airborne Field Artillery Battalion, 101st Airborne Division
- Theater: Europe
- Conflict: World War II
- Battles: Normandy Campaign
- Awards: Purple Heart
- Burial/Memorial Location: Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer, France
- Location In Memorial: Pillar XII, Bottom Panel
- Contact us to sponsor Willis W. Bettis
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