Willy James was born on March 18, 1920 in Kansas City, Missouri. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on September 11, 1942. He was an infantry scout assigned to Company G, 413th Infantry Regiment, 104th Infantry Division in April 1945. On April 7, 1945, he was lead scout during a maneuver to secure a bridgehead near Lippoldsberg, Germany. As his regiment crossed the Weser River, he was pinned down for more than an hour by enemy machine gun fire. When he was able to return to his platoon with his scouting observations, he helped to develop a new assault plan, designating targets in the new attack. When his platoon leader was mortally wounded, James went to his aid and was himself killed by machine gun fire.