Willard Titus Sr.

Willard Titus Sr. Willard was born in Happy Camp, CA to Albert Babcock and Jeanne Josephine Titus on November 16, 1925; he was one of 14 children. He graduated from Happy Camp High School in 1944 and was drafted into the United States Army that July. Willard left the United States in January 5, 1945 on a ship going under the Golden Gate Bridge on his mom’s birthday – he was sea sick for five days but was never motion sick again after that. Willard was assigned to the 187th Glider Infantry Regiment United States Army. He fought in the Luzon Campaign, part of the liberation of the Philippine Islands. They moved to Okinawa for occupation duty and were the first, and only, unit to parachute onto Japanese soil at the time. They then moved to Japan and again they performed another first by being the first foreign combat unit to enter that nation. He saw things he would rather not talk about and had other stories of the people he met and the places he went and saw from Presidents and Officers to common people that you learn about now in history books. He always made it so real that you remembered American History easy, because it made it personal. He talked about Tokyo Rose and how she talked about the paratroopers as the ‘fierce fighters with blousy pants’. The speech by FDR saying ‘I hate war, my wife Eleanor hates war, my little dog Fella hates war, but I do sure love the smell of gun powder”. He also talked about hiking up to the top of Mt. Fuji and looking into the volcano and almost falling in if one of his buddies hadn’t grabbed him pulling him back, and how they ran all the way back to the bottom of the mountain. He was awarded many metals and the bronze star. He was a Son, Brother, Husband, Father, Uncle, Grandpa, coach, and friend to many. Willard married Patsy (who proceeded him in death), and they had 4 children – Willard Jr, Mark (who proceeded him in death), Donald, and Babbie – he had 9 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild. He worked in the Timber industry, mined for gold, worked in a box factory, and retired from CalTrans. He was an avid sportsman coaching Little League and Babe Ruth and loved to hunt. He loved boxing and said sometimes he was the main event. Willard passed on January 6, 2014 at his home in Orleans, CA. A memorial service will be held in Happy Camp to celebrate his life with friends and family at the Karuk Community Room on Saturday January 11th at 3:30 p.m. Pot Luck to follow on site.

Willard Titus Sr.

November 16, 1925 - January 6, 2014