|
| James
Wallace, Jr. |
| NO.
17624 • 6 Jun 1926 - 16 Mar 2005
|
| Died
in Alexandria, VA Inurned in Grace Episcopal Church, Alexandria,
VA |
James Wallace, Jr., was born in Toledo, OH, the elder of the two
sons of James Wallace III and Fidelia Latimer Mills. Along with
his brother George, Jim attended Toledo public schools, but Jim's
last two years of high school were at The Hill School in Pennsylvania.
Jim's father was a civil engineer who earned his wings during World
War I through the Aviation Branch of the Signal Corps. Jim's uncle,
MG Ralph H. Wooten, was an Army Air Corps pilot. Wooten suggested
that Jim consider West Point if he was interested in a military
career. Heeding that advice, Jim applied for and received an appointment
from Rep. Homer A Ramey of Ohio.
Well liked at the Academy, Jim participated in many activities,
including the Howitzer, Pointer, 100th Nite Show, the Debate Society,
and the Ski, Radio, and Model Railroad Clubs. Considered a walking
encyclopedia, Jim was often called upon for obscure information.
He was not a "star man" but graduated in the upper half
of his class academically.
Because his father and his uncle had been pilots, Jim chose the
Air Force upon graduation, but being a fighter jock was not in his
future. He graduated from basic flight training flying the T-6 and
then went to B-25 school, only to be washed out after 200 hours
of flying time.
Jim next attended the Armament Systems Engineering School at Lowry
AFB, CO, and was assigned as an aircraft maintenance officer for
P-47s at a NY National Guard unit in Niagara Falls, NY. To improve
his skills, he completed a five-month Training-with-Industry assignment
in fire control systems at the Hughes Aircraft Corporation in Los
Angeles.
There, Jim met Barbara "Bobbie" Frances Brooks after attending
church one morning. As a good-looking six-footer in uniform, he
garnered much attention. They saw each other often, but he soon
left California, returning to New York briefly before being reassigned
to Otis AFB, MA, where he worked as an aircraft maintenance officer
and a personnel officer.
Although Jim and Bobbie had discussed marriage before he left California,
he never proposed. After leaving, Jim missed Bobbie, so he called
her and popped the question over the phone. On 27 Feb 1954, they
were married in Flint, MI, where Bobbie had moved after Jim returned
to the East. Their first home together was in Massachusetts.
The sudden change from maintenance to personnel prompted Jim to
reevaluate his career path. He applied to the Air Force Institute
of Technology and graduated in 1956 with a master's degree in electrical
engineering. He was immediately assigned to the Snark missile development
office at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH.
All of Jim's official papers identify him as James Wallace, Jr.,
but he actually was James Wallace IV, and James Wallace V was born
in Ohio on 30 Nov 1956. Jim next attended another Training-with-Industry
program at the Rand Corporation in Santa Monica, CA, in anticipation
of work with the Air Force Space Systems Division in Los Angeles.
After three successful years at Space Systems Division, Jim, Bobbie,
and Jimmy headed back east to the Office of the Air Force Deputy
Chief of Staff for Research and Development at the Pentagon. On
their second day in town, they bought the first house they saw,
a good decision because they lived there for many years. After serving
at the Pentagon, Jim served as an Air Force officer at the Central
Intelligence Agency and, after his retirement in 1970, continued
with the physical sciences offices of the CIA as an expert in infra-red
technology. During his service, he earned three Commendation Medals,
a Meritorious Service Medal, and the CIA Black Award.
Even before he retired, Jim and the "clan" were busy in
the theater, all appearing on stage in various shows. Jim and Bobbie
even produced a play, and Jim was elected to the Little Theater
of Alexandria Board of Governors, Jim's first civilian job was in
real estate, and he became incredibly knowledgeable of the Old Town
Alexandria market. When John McEnearney (USNA '49) left their firm
to start a new company, he invited Jim to be one of their first
agents. He was a professional agent with a sense of humor and a
great asset to John's company. Upon seeing a "For Sale by Owner"
sign, he remarked, "Before long, people will be taking out
their own appendixes." In the '80s, Jim put his real estate
knowledge to good personal use when he and Bobbie bought four run-down
waterfront cottages on the Chesapeake Bay in North Beach, MD, and
assisted the town in a major improvement program, including the
restoration of his cottages. He and Bobbie did much of the restoration
themselves and were gratified to see their efforts "help improve
the North Beach image." Living in Alexandria, they nevertheless
spent much of their time at their North Beach cottages.
Although very busy, Jim used a newly obtained computer to do income
taxes for some clients, manage his real property and that of his
son and daughter in law, and assist Bobbie with her writings. She
is a highly successful author of more then 20 children's books.
In 2003, Jim developed cancer. After two years of combating it with
chemotherapy and radiation, Jim died on 16 Mar 2005. He is inurned
in the memorial wall at Grace Episcopal Church in Alexandria, the
church he and Bobbie attended for 40 years.
Bobbie now lives in McLean, VA. Their son and daughter-in-law, Christine,
and two granddaughters, Victoria and Elizabeth, live nearby.
At the time of Jim's death, John McEnearney wrote of him, "Above
all, he was a kind and gentle man; a true gentleman, who was always
ready to help ... in any way he could.... Jim will be sorely missed
by all who knew and respected him."
-- Classmates, family, and friends
|
USMA 1950