LRL Home - Legislators and Leaders - Texas Legislators: Past & Present - Member profile

Phillip L. Willis Full Name: Phillip LaFrance Willis Date of birth: August 2, 1918 Date of death: January 26, 1995 Terms of Service Biographical Notes Committee Information Terms of Service top Chamber District Dates of Service Legislatures Party City/County Note Counties in District H 52 Jan 11, 1949 - Aug 28, 1949 51st (1)   Democrat Kaufman / Kaufman   Kaufman H 52 Jan 14, 1947 - Jan 11, 1949 50th   Democrat Kaufman / Kaufman   Kaufman (1) Fred V. Meridith, in special election 11/8/1949, sworn 1/31/1950, succeeded Phillip L. Willis, resigned 8/28/1949. First session was 51st 1st Called Session. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.   Biographical Notes and Resources top Selected Newspaper articles Resolutions and Journal entries 74th Legislature, R.S., HCR 179. Resolutions - Memorial. 74th Legislature, R.S., HR 1059. Memorializing 35 members who died in the past two years. Resolutions - Memorial. 74th Legislature, R.S., HR 95. Relatives: Doyle Willis and Phillip Willis - brothers. Resolutions - Memorial. 74th Legislature, R.S., SR 129. Resolutions - Memorial. Biographical Sketches Oral history interview available in Oral History Collection, University of North Texas. Military Service Notes United States Army Air Corps, Lieutenant, World War II. Detailed description of World War II service as a pilot, especially in the attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, flying one of the two 86th Observation Squadron planes: "at daybreak, December 8, 1941, Lieutenant Willis captured the United States' first prisoner of war in World War II, the surviving member of a two-man Japanese suicide submarine caught on a reef," earned Silver Star as a B-17 bomber pilot in the Battle of Midway, June 1942, and many other military awards: "the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Presidential Unit Citation with Oak Leaf Cluster, the World War II Victory Medal, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Bronze Star, the Air Force Combat Readiness Medal, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, and the Pearl Harbor Commemorative Medal, along with eight theater and service medals." Resolutions - Memorial. Other Resources Obituary, photo, guest book entries, 6/24/2006, "[Doyle] Willis served with his brother, Phillip . . . They were the first brothers to serve together in the Texas House." Doyle Willis was "known as the dean of the Texas Legislature." Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Photographs Photograph. Phillip L. Willis, 50th Legislature, State Preservation Board Photograph. Phillip L. Willis, 51st Legislature, State Preservation Board Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol 50th session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board. 51st session composite photo of House members (Ground floor corridor, south wall. GW.C1). State Preservation Board. Committee Informationtop 51st R.S. - 1949 Constitutional Amendments (Chair)  Education   Municipal and Private Corporations   Public Printing   State Eleemosynary and Reformatory Institutions   50th R.S. - 1947 Education   Investigate State Eleemosynary and Reformatory Institutions Investigation, Special   Military and Veterans Affairs   Penitentiaries   Public Health   State Eleemosynary and Reformatory Institutions

This website is a work in progress. Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.

Have a question, comment or contribution? Email the Library or call 512-463-1252.

Many photos in Texas Legislators: Past and Present are used with permission of the Texas State Preservation Board. For permission to reproduce these photos, please contact the Texas State Preservation Board graphics coordinator at 512-475-3060.