George V. Wish

Colonel George V. Wish, age 87, passed away on December 1, 2015 at INOVA Fairfax Hospital. Colonel Wish is survived by his wife of 56 years, Jean, and two sons, Peter and Alex. He also leaves behind four grandchildren; Danielle, Nicole, Bryan, and Kira. He is also survived by his sister, Irene Lampasi. George's parents fled persecution in Russia and moved to Poland before he was born. As a young boy, he and his family were taken from their home in Poland and were forced to work in a Nazi labor camp located in Germany, leading up to World War II. After the war, with the help of a relative from Europe, the family was able to make their way to the United States when he was 16 years old. Hardly speaking any English upon arriving, he supported his family by taking many jobs while attending night school to obtain his high school diploma. With the assistance of a ROTC scholarship, George made his way into Ohio State University where he earned an engineering degree. Upon graduating, he entered the United States Air Force (USAF) to become a fighter pilot. He served over 31 years in the USAF. During that time, he was on alert during the Cuban Missile Crisis and served in Vietnam. In Vietnam he earned numerous medals, including the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, and the Air Medal. He flew 100 missions in a F-105 as a member of the WILD WEASELS. He was stationed at other duty stations throughout his career to include: McGuire AFB, New Jersey, Spangdahlem AFB, Germany, and Tyndall AFB, Florida, before finally settling in the Washington, D.C. area in 1969. While in D.C., he served at the Pentagon and Fort Belvoir followed by his last assignment as Director of Soviet Affairs at Bowling AFB. Prior to his retirement in 1985, George also assisted other government agencies in debriefing and assimilating Soviet defectors - none more famous than Victor Belenko, the MIG 25 pilot who landed the Soviet Union's most sophisticated fighter plane in Japan. George was proud to serve in the USAF and loved the United States of America, as his friends and family can attest. To commemorate his life and military career, a funeral service will be held at the Fort Myer Old Post Chapel, followed immediately by a graveside service at Arlington National Cemetery, Friday, April 1, 2016 at 9 AM. Remembrances can be made to any number of military related charitable organizations.

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George V. Wish

September 13, 1928 - December 1, 2015