The Author grew up in a two-parent home on the northside of Chicago in an area known as Cabrini Green Projects. His parents gave birth to 10 children. Four brothers and five sisters. Willis is the oldest child.

My father served in Manila Philippines under General Wainright. He distinguished himself on rescue missions of American prisoners and special assignments during the ongoing battles against the Japanese in the Philippine Island 3 years hand to hand combat with the Japanese. He returned home and married the author’s mother who was an elementary school teacher and a missionary. He was a military police and after the war in 1959, became a Chicago Policeman. He was an American hero.

The author was unable to afford college and decided to volunteer for military service with plans to enter college upon completion of military obligations. This landed him in the middle of the Vietnam Era War at a place called Phan Rang Vietnam from 1968-1969 where he served as a medical corpsman.