Willis F. Polhemus was born on July 9, 1922 in Nyack, New York. He served in the U.S.S. Peary (DD-226), U.S. Navy as a Fireman Third Class during World War II.

The Peary had endured a dramatic voyage to Australia in December 1941, after sustaining damage in a bombing attack on the Cavite Navy Yard in the Philippines. The crew camouflaged the ship with green paint borrowed from the Army, and took refuge during daylight by anchoring close to the islands and covering the ship with palm fronds. Many of the Peary's crew contracted malaria on this journey and eight men eventually died from the disease. They were attacked on 26 and 27 December, but avoided damage by violent manoeuvring. The Peary arrived in Darwin on 3 January.

In January the Peary was operating on anti-submarine patrol, convoy and escort missions; while escorting troops from Darwin to Timor, the ship was again attacked. They returned to Darwin, refuelled and set off again with the cruiser USS Houston. A fruitless submarine chase exhausted the Peary's fuel, and she returned to Darwin in the early hours of 19 February.

The city of Darwin, Australia experienced a massive Japanese air attack on February 19, 1942. The U.S.S. Peary, while anchored off Darwin, was attacked by Japanese dive bombers, and was struck by five bombs causing the ship to sink. The Peary was hit early in the bombing and appears to have sunk within 40 minutes. The fifth bomb to hit the Peary caused the fatal damage that sent her to the bottom and it was said to be the last bomb dropped that day on the harbour. The Peary's machine guns continued to fire at the Japanese planes even as she sank. Above 90 servicemen died aboard the ship including Polhemus.

F3 Polhemus was declared Missing in Action and was not officially declared by the military as being dead until February 20, 1943, 1 year and 1 day after he went missing as was the custom. His name is commemorated on the Walls of the Missing, Manila American Cemetery, Taguig City, Philippines.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.ntlexhibit.nt.gov.au, www.abmc.gov