Live Breaking News & Updates on Columbia Central High

Jerry Summers: John Harlan Willis - Baby-Faced Hero
Saturday, December 12, 2020 - by Jerry Summers
Jerry Summers
From looking at a photo of the baby-faced United States hospital corpsmen from Columbia, Tennessee the viewer would probably not recognize the young Medal of Honor winner in World War II for his heroics on Iwo Jima on February 29, 1945.
John Harlan Willis was born on June 10, 1921 in Columbia, Tennessee and graduated from Columbia Central High School
He enlisted in the Unites States Navy on November 5, 1940 and received training as a hospital corpsman at the Norfolk Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, Virginia.
John steadily was promoted through the corps until July 1, 1943 when he achieved the rank of pharmacist’s mate first class. ....

United States , Duck River , Willis Hall , Iwo Jima , Japan General , Rose Hill Cemetery , Camp Pendleton , John Harlan Willis , Harrys Truman , John Willis , Marine Division At Camp Pendleton , Pacific Campaign Medal , University Of Memphis Millington Center , United States Naval Service He , Columbia Central High School , Navy Expeditionary Medal , Navy Good Conduct Medal , Navy Presidential Unit Citation , American Campaign Medal , Headquarters Company , States Navy On , World War , Harlan Willis , Columbia Central High , Unites States Navy , Norfolk Naval Hospital ,