George Ellis

Rear Admiral George F Ellis, Jr. of Annapolis, MD and Vero Beach, FL, died at his home in Annapolis on September 24, 2020 at the age of 97.

Admiral Ellis was born on May 4, 1923 in Salisbury, North Carolina. After graduating from Boyden High School in 1940 he attended Georgia Military Academy in College Park, Georgia for one year and in 1941 was appointed to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. In June 1944 he graduated from the academy with a Bachelor of Science degree and was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy. He later graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College and was awarded a master’s degree in Management Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

After attending submarine school in December 1944 in New London Connecticut, he was ordered aboard the submarine U.S.S. MAPIRO (SS 376) and was on patrol off the coast of Japan when World War II ended. Following the end of the war, then Ensign Ellis was married to Rachael Beam Trexler, also of Salisbury on October 27, 1945. Rachael was the daughter of Samuel Tilden Trexler and Mattie Senora Beam of Salisbury. George and Rachael were happily married for nearly fifty years until she passed away on January 27, 1995. They had two children: Susan Snyder of Annapolis Maryland and George F. Ellis III of Pooler, Georgia. On July 19,1997, George married Carol Lucille Andrews who recently passed away on July 20, 2020.

Admiral Ellis had a long and distinguished naval career beginning with his service in submarines MAPIRO, STERLET, SEAFOX, ICEFISH, and HARDHEAD. He later commanded U.S.S. BANG, U.S.S. SIMON LAKE, Submarine Division 41. In 1970 he served as the Commander Submarine Flotilla Seven based in Yokosuka Japan. As such, he was the submarine operational commander for the Seventh Fleet and for Special Operations during the Viet Nam War. He also served in a succession of increasingly important staff positions, including Instructor at the Submarine School in New London Connecticut, Weapons Systems Officer for the Submarine Force Atlantic Fleet at a critical time when nuclear weapons were introduced into the submarine force for the first time. He also served on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations in the Polaris Missile Program.

In 1963, when President Kennedy first assigned Polaris Missile Submarines to NATO, he was ordered to Paris, France to serve on the staff of the Supreme Commander Allied Powers Europe (SACEUR). In 1972, after being promoted to flag rank, he returned to NATO in Belgium as a military advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to NATO, and later, once again, served on the staff of SACEUR. In 1975-1976 he commanded the South Atlantic Force of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet.

In 1976 he retired from active duty in the U.S. Navy with the rank of Rear Admiral. His awards included the Legion of Merit (4 awards), Meritorious Service Medal (2 awards), Navy Commendation Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and numerous World War Two campaign and service medals

Following Navy retirement, he joined the Babcock & Wilcox Company. This company was later acquired by McDermott International and he served as a corporate vice-president. After twelve years he again retired in 1988. While with McDermott, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the National Foreign Trade Council. He was also an active member of the National Iron & Steel Institute, the American Nuclear Energy Council, the National Security Industrial Association, the National Ocean Industries Association, the Business-Government Relations Council, the Washington Industrial Roundtable, the National Chamber of Commerce and the Navy League. He also served on the Board of Trustees of the American University for ten years.

Admiral Ellis is preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Rachael Trexler Ellis, his wife of 23 years, Carol Andrews Ellis and his son, George F. Ellis III. He is survived by his daughter, Susan Snyder, five grandchildren: Whitney Ellis, Kyle Ellis, Rachael Lutze, Sarah Snyder, Heather Killinger, and two great-grandsons: Ramsay and James Killinger.

A private service will be held at the Naval Academy Columbarium.