From www.history.navy.mil Upon hearing of the Pearl Harbor attack, while a student at Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., George Bush decided he wanted to join the Navy to become an aviator. Six months later, after graduation, he enlisted in the Navy on his 18th birthday and began preflight training at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After completing the 10-month course, he was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve on 9 June 1943, several days before his 19th birthday; making him the youngest naval aviator then. After finishing flight training, he was assigned to Torpedo Squadron (VT-51) as photographic officer in September 1943. As part of Air Group 51, his squadron was based on USS San Jacinto in the spring of 1944. San Jacinto was part of Task Force 58 that participated in operations against Marcus and Wake Islands in May, and then in the Marianas during June. On 19 June, the task force triumphed in one of the largest air battles of the war. During the return of his aircraft from the mission, Ensign Bush's aircraft made a forced water landing. The destroyer, USS Clarence K. Bronson, rescued the crew, but the plane was lost. On 25 July, Ensign Bush and another pilot received credit for sinking a small cargo ship. After Bush was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade on 1 August, San Jacinto commenced operations against the Japanese in the Bonin Islands. On 2 September 1944, Bush piloted one of four aircraft from VT-51 that attacked the Japanese installations on Chi Chi Jima. For this mission his crew included Radioman Second Class John Delaney, and Lieutenant Junior Grade William White, USNR, who substituted for Bush's regular gunner. During their attack, four TBM Avengers from VT-51 encountered intense antiaircraft fire. While starting the attack, Bush's aircraft was hit and his engine caught on fire. He completed his attack and released the bombs over his target scoring several damaging hits. With his engine on fire, Bush flew several miles from the island, where he and one other crew member on the TBM Avenger bailed out of the aircraft. However, the other man's chute did not open and he fell to his death. It was never determined which man bailed out with Bush. Both Delaney and White were killed in action. While Bush anxiously waited four hours in his inflated raft, several fighters circled protectively overhead until he was rescued by the lifeguard submarine, USS Finback. For this action, Bush received the Distinguished Flying Cross. During the month he remained on Finback, Bush participated in the rescue of other pilots. Subsequently, Bush returned to San Jacinto in November 1944 and participated in operations in the Philippines. When San Jacinto returned to Guam, the squadron, which had suffered 50 percent casualties of its pilots, was replaced and sent to the United States. Throughout 1944, he had flown 58 combat missions for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals, and the Presidential Unit Citation awarded San Jacinto. Because of his valuable combat experience, Bush was reassigned to Norfolk and put in a training wing for new torpedo pilots. Later, he was assigned as a naval aviator in a new torpedo squadron, VT-153. With the surrender of Japan, he was honorably discharged in September 1945 and then entered Yale University. Former Lieutenant George Herbert Walker Bush, U.S. Naval Reserve Transcript Of Naval Service 12 JUN 1924 Born in Milton, Massachusetts 13 JUN 1942 Enlisted in U.S. Naval Reserve 5 AUG 1942 Reported for Active Duty 8 JUN 1943 Honorably Discharged 9 JUN 1943 Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve and continued on Active Duty 1 AUG 1944 Lieutenant (junior grade) 18 SEP 1945 Released from Active Duty under honorable conditions 16 NOV 1948 Lieutenant 24 OCT 1955 Resignation accepted under honorable conditions SHIPS AND STATIONS U.S. Naval Air Station, June 1943-Aug. 1943 Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (Instrn) Naval Air Operational Aug. 1943-Aug. 1943 Training Command Carrier Qualification Training Unit U.S. Naval Air Station, Glenview, Ill. (Instrn) Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Aug. 1943-Sept. 1943 U.S. Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Va. (Instrn) Carrier Aircraft Service 21 Sept. 1943-Sept. 1943 (Instrn) Torpedo Squadron 51 (Naval Aviator) Sept. 1943-Dec. 1943 Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Dec. 1944-Feb. 1945 U.S.Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Va. Torpedo Squadron 97 Feb. 1945-March 1945 Torpedo Squadron 153(Naval Aviator) March 1945-Sept. 1945 Headquarters, FIFTH Naval District Sept. 1945-Sept. 1945 PERSONAL DECORATIONS Distinguished Flying Cross. Air Medal with two gold stars in lieu of subsequent awards Presidential Unit Citation awarded USS San Jacinto (CVL-30) RESERVE AFFILIATION NONE (Resigned 24 Oct 1955) Other documents related to LTJG Bush at the Naval Historical Center: Torpedo Squadron FIFTY-ONE's Aircraft Action Report of 2 September 1944,World War II Reports, Operational Archives Branch, Naval Historical Center Extracts from USS Finback's Tenth War Patrol Report on rescue of LTJG Bush, Operational Archives Branch, Naval Historical Center Carrier Air Group TWENTY's Aircraft Action Report of 2 September 1944, World War II Reports, Operational Archives Branch, Naval Historical Center
If he was discharged in 1945, then what is the 16 NOV 1948 Lieutenant entry all about? Also the resignation in 1955? I am not familar with how the navy works.
Transferred from Active Duty to Fleet Reserve in 1945 Promoted to Lt. while in Fleet Reserve 1948 Resigned Commission in 1955- no further committment. Bush was a Naval Reserve Officer when he was no longer on needed on active duty he was transferred to the Fleet Reserve and continued to be a Reserve Officer and was promoted as such, until his resignation in 1955.
James Bradley interviewed Bush for his book Flyboys which includes Bush's mission to Chi Chi Jima. Almost sixty years later, Bush still hoped he had done all he could to give his crewmen time to bail out.
he came very close to being captured. the Japanese saw him and sent out a boat to pick him up. the OIC on Chi Chi Jima was later arrested and executed for cannibalism. he and his officers were eating the livers of US pilots.
That article makes it pretty clear that it was not out of desperation that cannibalism was practiced, at least by this particular group of Japanese. The former President came very close to a very ugly, brutal end.
I was very touched by this. When Bush was interviewed by Bradley he asked him if he knew what happened to his crewmates, Ted White and John Delaney, and Bradley did not know. He said Bush told him that he thought about those boys all of the time. I think all of our veterans live with questions like this. I am currently reading Bradley's book, "Flyboys," and I was very surprised about the incidences of cannabalism among the Japense troops. I've never heard this before. It's stomach churning.
I had read of similar acts in New Guinea with the comment from a Japanese soldier that the Australian's who were eaten tasted 'like chicken'. The account made it clear that in this case it was a matter of extream hunger on the part of the Japanese troops.