Early Life Through World War II
Willis Lee, a distant relative of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, was born in the rural town of Natlee in Owen County, Kentucky, on May 11, 1888. The son of Judge Willis Augustus Lee and Susan Arnold, he was known as "Mose" Lee to family and friends.
He entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1904. While at the Naval academy, his Chinese-sounding last name, compounded by his fondness for the Far East earned him the nickname "Ching" Lee.
Following graduation, Lee joined the academy's rifle team twice. He was assigned to the battleship Idaho (BB-24) from October 1908 to May 1909, before returning to the naval academy and re-joining the rifle team. From November 1909 until May 1910, Lee served aboard the protected cruiser New Orleans (CL-22), and then transferred to the gunboat Helena (PG-9). Upon being detached back to the United States, Lee re-joined the Academy shooting team a third time. In July 1913, Lee re-joined the Idaho, and later transferred to the battleship New Hampshire (BB-25) to participate in the occupation of Veracruz.
During World War I, Lee served on the destroyers O'Brien (DD-51) and Lea (DD-118).
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