Commander George Wallace retired to the civilian business world in 1995, after twenty-two years of service on nuclear submarines. He served on two of Admiral Rickover's famous "Forty One for Freedom", the USS John Adams (SSBN 620) and the USS Woodrow Wilson (SSBN 624), during which time he made nine one-hundred-day deterrent patrols through the height of the Cold War. Commander Wallace served as executive officer on the Sturgeon class nuclear attack submarine USS Spadefish, SSN 668. Spadefish and all her sisters were decommissioned during the downsizings that occurred in the 1990s. The passing of that great ship served as the inspiration for "Final Bearing." Commander Wallace commanded the Los Angeles class nuclear attack submarine USS Houston, SSN 713, from February 1990 to August 1992. During this tour of duty that he worked extensively with the SEAL community developing SEAL/submarine tactics. Under Commander Wallace, the Houston was awarded the CIA Meritorious Unit Citation. Commander Wallace lives with his wife, Penny, in Alexandria, Virginia.
