Captain Wilson was born in Norfolk, Virginia on March 27, 1892 and was appointed to the Naval Academy from Virginia in 1910.  After graduation in 1914, he was assigned to the Battleship DELAWARE and served in her during the Mexican Campaign and the World War.  (The DELAWARE operated with the British Grand Fleet from December 1917 to July 1918.  Detached from the DELAWARE in February of 1919, he served in destroyers until June 1919 when he was assigned to the Post Graduate School, Naval Academy for a course in Marine Engineering, which he completed at Columbia University.  He was on duty in the Bureau of Aeronautics, Navy Department, from September 1921 until April1 1922, and after several months duty as senior engineer of the USS LANGLEY he became Aide and Flag Lieutenant on the staff of the Commander, Battleship Division 5, Atlantic Fleet.  In December of 1923 until June 1927, was on duty at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. 

Captain Wilson was squadron engineer and aide on the staff of the Commander, Destroyer Squadrons, Asiatic Fleet from July 1927 until February 1930.  During the next two years was on duty in the office of the Inspector of Naval Material, Philadelphia.  He was gunnery officer of the USS MISSISSIPPI, Battleship, from June 1932 until June 1935 and for three years was on duty at Pearl Harbor, T.H.  He assisted in fitting out the cruiser USS HONOLULU and, after her commissioning, served as her executive officer from June 1938 until June 1940.  He reported for duty in the Bureau of Navigation in July 1940. 

On August 16, 1942, Captain Wilson took command of the countries newest battleship, the USS ALABAMA, at its commissioning at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia.  Captain Wilson commanded the USS ALABAMA through her shake down cruises.  After leaving the ALABAMA in March 1943, Rear Admiral George Wilson was appointed chief of staff to Admiral Harold B. Stark, commander of United States naval forces in Europe.

DECORATIONS

The Mexican Service Medal for service in the USS DELAWARE, 1914.

The Victory Medal, Grand Fleet Clasp, USS DELAWARE, 1917-1918.

The Yangtze Service Medal, 1927-1930 as Squadron Engineer, Destroyer Squadrons, Asiatic Fleet.

American Campaign Medal, WWII.

European Campaign Medal, WWII.

Bronze Star, WWII.

Victory Medal, WWII.

An Associated Press news item from 1944:

LONDON, October 3 - Rear Admiral George B. Wilson, Chief of Staff to Commander of United States Naval Forces in Europe, has been awarded the Bronze Star by Admiral Harold B. Stark for "Effective co-ordination of staff section" prior to the Normandy invasion.

The citation said Admiral Wilson's work contributed "materially to the execution of vital tasks" of the invasion.

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RAdm. Wilson died Dec. 4, 1949 at Bethesda Naval Hospital and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery on Dec. 7, 1949.

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