One of the most famous pilots in the Pacific theatre of the Second World War was Lt. (JG) George Bush.  
   
After gradutation from Philliips Academy in Andover, MA, in June of 1942, he joined the U. S. navy upon turning 18. 
   
Following ten months of aviator training, he was commissioned as an Ensign in the U.S. Naval reserves just before his 19th birthday.  This made him the youngest Navy Aviator at that time.  
   
In late 1943 he completed further training on the Grumman Avenger torpedo plane and was assigned to Torpedo Squadron 51 (VT-51), part of Air Group 51, embarked on the light aircraft carrier USS San Jacinto CVL-30. 
  
Two years after the Battle of Midway, in June of 1944, his squadron took part in the Marianas Operation - one of the largest battles of WW II.  During this battle, Bush's Avenger was forced to ditch in the sea.  Bush and his crew were picked up by the destoyer  USS Clarence K. Bronson.
  
Bush quickly returned to operational flying duty and sunk a cargo ship off of the island of Palau in July of 1944.  
   
George H. W. Bush was promoted to  Lieutenant JG (Junior Grade) in August, and was soon flying operations against the Japanese in the Bonin Islands as the Allied Forces in the Pacific tightened the noose around the Japanese homeland.
   
During this campaign, in operations against Japanese installations on the island of Chichi Jima that were supporting the Japanese forces trying to hold Iwo Jima next door, Bush's Avenger was hit by Anti-aircraft fire.  His Avenger's engine caught fire, but he pressed home his attack releasing his bombs on target.  He then coaxed his stricken aircraft away from the target area and back out to sea to give himself and his crew a chance to bail out and be picked up by an American submarine or destroyer.     
   
Bush managed to bail out of the stricken Avenger, but tragically his Gunner and his Radioman were both killed trying to escape.  He still lives with the fact that, despite his efforts, his crew was lost. 
  
Bush floated in his raft for hours while US Fighters circled overhead to keep the Japanese at bay.  He was rescued by the Submarine USS Finback, where he subsequently spent a month helping rescue other downed aircrew.  
   
For pressing home the attack in his badly damaged aircraft, George H. W. Bush was awarded the Distingueshed Flying Cross.   Here was and is a true American hero!   
   
I salute you 41, President George H. W. Bush.  We Americans of the following generation owe you and your generations more than we can know.  
   
I do however have one question, sir: what the @^&**@#@ went wrong with your son, George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States?!?  That fruit certainly fell very far from your tree of heroic action in selfless sevice to America.