Willis J. Welch entered the military service in South Dakota. He resided in Lake County, South Dakota prior to the war. Willis served as a Staff Sergeant and Gunner on B-24D #42-40845, 425th Bomber Squadron, 308th Bomber Group, Heavy, U.S. Army Air Force during World War II.

B-24D #42-40845 took off, with a crew of 10, from Kunming, China on a combat mission over Hankow, China. They were shot down by Japanese fighter planes. The crew was given the order to bailout due to extreme damage. Six members of the crew were lost. Willis is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines. Staff Sergeant Welch was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is also commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.abmc.gov