World War II Database

John Perry Willey was born in Hampton, Virginia, United States. He received his bachelor of science degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1924, and later attended the Command and General Staff School. At the start of WW2, he was an instructor at the Cavalry School. The armor and cavalry officer reached the rank of brigadier general after commanding the Myitkyina task force from 1 Jun to 3 Aug 1944. On 31 Sep 1944 he succeeded Thomas Arms as the commander of the 5332nd Brigade (Provisional) "Mars Task Force". He was described by the theater historian Captain Edward Fischer as a brutally honest man who refused to carry out an order to cut the Burma Road at a certain point because he truly believed that the location chosen would expose too many of his men to unnecessary danger. Fischer described Willey as "the movie version of a fighting general,... soft-spoken, kind, and unbelievably honest."

Willey retired from the Army in 1954. He passed away in 1976.

John Willey Timeline

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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Noah Ayers says:
   16 Mar 2009 09:02:04 AM
   
   that man is a true hero.

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