Captain George William Ellis, USN, was born in Ardmore, OK, on June 22, 1924.

1941 he attended Marion Military Institute in Alabama

July 1942 he attended the Naval Academy on an Oklahoma appointment. He was an avid sailor and became dedicated to a career in naval aviation, graduating in 1946 with the 17th Company.

Commissioned in June 1945 he served on the USS Bataan (CVL-29) and then on the USS Duluth (CVL-87) in 1945-47.

January 1949 Ellis was designated a Naval Aviator. His first squadron was a TBM ASW squadron, VS 22. Captain Ellis worked as an aide on a Carrier Division Commander's staff, followed by assignment as an Advanced Training Command flight instructor.

1954 to 1955 Captain Ellis attended the Naval War College in Rhode Island.

In 1955 he flew with VF-211, deploying to the Western Pacific with Air Group 21 aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard until 1957 when the VF-211 exchanged its "Furies" (FJ-3M) for "Crusaders" (F8U-1), becoming the first West Coast squadron, along with VF-154 to make the transition.

In 1958 to 1959 he was a Replacement Air Group (RAG) instructor and the F-8 Maintenance Officer of VF-124 at Moffett Field, California.

June 1959 he entered Test Pilot School, and after completing the course, became first project pilot in the F-4 program.

In August 1960 Captain Ellis first flew the "Phantom II", as F-4 Project Pilot, Flying Qualities and Performance Branch, Flight Test Division, Naval Air Test Center. He subsequently became the Carrier Suitability Branch Head at Patuxent River.

On December 5, 1961 he set a world record for speed at sustained altitude at 66,443.8 ft, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

In August 1962 Captain Ellis reported to VF-74 as Executive Officer, participating in the first extended carrier deployment of the F4B weapon system. In May 1963 he took over as the VF-74's Commanding Officer.

In May 1964 he assumed command of the "Grim Reaper" of VF-101 in Key West, where he conducted Atlantic Fleet replacement training of all weather fighter crews and maintenance personnel.

May 1965 to March 1966 Captain Ellis was Operations Officer of the USS Forrestal (CV-59) and made the winter Mediterranean cruise with Air Wing Eight. He then served as Executive Officer and, after seeing the carrier through part of a regular overhaul at Norfolk Naval Ship Yard in Portsmouth, he was ordered to Washington for temporary duty with the Office of the Chief Naval Operations (OP-96)

1966 Captain Ellis became the Naval Air Systems Command Project Manager for the F-8 "Crusader" Service Life Extension Program.

December 1968 through January 1970 Captain Ellis commanded the USS Arcturus (AF-52) and was Fleet Operations Branch Head in the Office of Chief of Naval Operation until he retired in March 1973.