Charles Herman Otis was born on August 7, 1915 in Illinois. He was the son of George Madison Otis and Othelia E. Krueger Otis.

2nd Lt Otis, navigator of the B-17 42-3049 “Windy City Challenger”, took off from station 105 in Chelveston, Northamptonshire, UK on a bombing mission over Villacoublay. Two German FW-190 fighters came at the plane around 10000 feet at 0820. Their fire killed seven of the eleven crew members, their bodies trapped in the wreckage of the exploded plane. The other four managed to bail out and opened their parachutes at 1000 feet. Otis survived but was later taken prisoner and sent to Stalag Luft 3 in Sagan-Silesia.

Charles died on January 18, 1999 at the age of 83 in Park Ridge, Illinois during a routine check-up after having a heart attack. He is now buried in the Evergreen Cemetery, Barrington, Cook County, Illinois, USA.