James H. Wallace was born in Washington, D.C., in 1905. He attended Georgia Institute of Technology and Catholic University.

Appointed a Flying Cadet on Feb. 18, 1928, General Wallace entered Primary Flying School at March Field, Calif., graduated from Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field, Texas, on Feb. 28, 1929, and commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Reserve. Receiving his Regular commission as a second lieutenant of Air Corps on May 2, 1929, he was assigned duty with the Second Bomb Group at Langley Field, Va. Returning to March Field, Calif., in September 1930, he became a flying instructor, later moving to Randolph Field, Texas, in that same capacity.

Going to the Panama Canal Zone in September 1934, the general was assigned with the 16th Pursuit Group at Albrook Field. Two years later he joined the Seventh Bomb Group at Hamilton Field, Calif., becoming Executive Officer of the 39th Bomb Group at Geiger Field, Wash., in May 1941.

Assuming command of the 303rd Bomb Group at Alamogordo, N.M., in July 1942, that October General Wallace took the group to England. He was named Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations of the Eighth Bomber Command there in April 1943, and that October assumed the same position with the Eighth Air Force in England. The following January he was named Director of Operations for the U.S. Air Force in Europe.

Ordered to Air Corps Headquarters in March 1944, General Wallace was designated Chief of the Bomb Branch, and the following February he became Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations and Training of the First Air Force at Mitchel Field, N.Y. Entering the National War College, Washington, D.C., in September 1946, he graduated the following June and was appointed Deputy Director of Training and Requirements in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations at Air Force Headquarters.

Transferred to the Air Training Command at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., in August 1948, the general was named Deputy Chief of Staff, becoming Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations the following January, and Deputy Chief that May. In January 1951, he was appointed Assistant Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations of the Alaskan Command at Fort Richardson, Alaska.

Moving to Norfolk, Va., in December 1952, General Wallace became Deputy Commandant of the Armed Forces Staff College. On June 28, 1954, he was appointed Director of Education at the Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., assuming additional duty as Acting Vice Commander of the university on May 17, 1955. On Nov. 1, 1956, the general was designated Deputy Commandant, Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala.

His decorations include the Silver Star, Legion of merit with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, and British Distinguished Flying Cross. He is rated a command pilot, combat observer and aircraft observer.

Source of information: https://www.af.mil