William W. "Billy" Ellsworth was born on June 5, 1918. He was the son of William E. Ellsworth and Clementine L. Carpenter Ellsworth. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in October 1940 and received his training at Silkeston, Mo. He served in the US Air Corps as a Major and Pilot of an aircraft during World War II. He flew his ship overseas in February 1943. He was Killed in Action on August 24, 1943 at the age of 25 in China and is now buried in the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky, USA in a common grave with his crew. He also has a cenotaph located in Fairmount Cemetery, Huntingburg, Dubois County, Indiana, USA.

William was one of over 2000 Americans who lost their lives defending China from their Japanese invaders from 1941-1945. He is commemorated on the The Monument to the Aviation Martyrs in the War of Resistance Against Japan in Nanjing, China.