Okla-homey
9/2/2008, 07:21 AM
September 2, 1944: Navy aviator George H.W. Bush shot down
http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/3068/tbfgeorgebushqt2.jpg
Only 19 when he earned his wings, Bush was one of the youngest naval aviators in the Navy in 1944
64 years ago on this day in 1944, future President George Herbert Walker Bush is serving as a TBF "Avenger" torpedo bomber pilot in the Pacific theater of World War II when his squadron is engaged by Japanese anti-aircraft guns. Bush was forced to bail out of the plane over the ocean.
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/555/bustbfcolormp8.jpg
TBF Avenger
According to the Navy’s records, Bush’s squadron was conducting a bombing mission on a Japanese installation on the island of Chi Chi Jima in the Pacific when they encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire.
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/5551/buschichijima9qp5.jpg
Chi Chi Jima, in the archipeligo considered the Japanese home islands
The engine on Bush’s plane was set ablaze, yet Bush managed to release his bombs and head back toward the aircraft carrier USS San Jacinto before bailing out over the water. Two other crew members perished in the attack.
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1394/busgeorgesl4.jpg
Ensign Bush and two flight crewmembers lost on this day in 1944
After floating on a raft for four hours, a US submarine crew fished a safe but exhausted Bush out of the water. His bravery in action earned him a Distinguished Flying Cross. The previous June, Bush had experienced a similar close call with death when he was forced to make a crash landing on water after a bombing run; a U.S. destroyer crew rescued him from the sea.
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/2600/bus20070919dj14asb5.jpg
Someone aboard the sub had a home movie camera and took footage of Bush being recovered.
After his harrowing experience near Chi Chi Jima, Bush returned to San Jacinto and continued to pilot torpedo bombers in several successful missions. Over the course of 1944, while his squadron suffered a 300 percent casualty rate among its pilots, an undaunted Bush won three Air Medals as well as a Presidential Unit Citation. In total, Bush flew 58 combat missions during the war.
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/4631/bus733pxusssanjacintocvtl7.jpg
USS San Jacinto(CVL-30) underway. Originally laid down as the light cruiser Newark (CL-100), on 26 October 1942 by the New York Shipbuilding Co., Camden, New Jersey; redesignated CV-30 and renamed Reprisal on 2 June 1942; renamed San Jacinto on 30 January 1943, converted, while building, to a light aircraft carrier and reclassified as CVL-30; launched on 26 September 1943
http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/2786/bus08bushxlarge1xm8.jpg
Christening of CVN-77, America's newest carrier
In December 1944, Bush was reassigned to Norfolk Naval Air Station in Norfolk, Virginia, where he was tasked with training new pilots. He received an honorable discharge from the Navy in September 1945 after the Japanese surrender.
http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/6509/buscvn77linelv4.gif
USS George H. W. Bush
http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/3068/tbfgeorgebushqt2.jpg
Only 19 when he earned his wings, Bush was one of the youngest naval aviators in the Navy in 1944
64 years ago on this day in 1944, future President George Herbert Walker Bush is serving as a TBF "Avenger" torpedo bomber pilot in the Pacific theater of World War II when his squadron is engaged by Japanese anti-aircraft guns. Bush was forced to bail out of the plane over the ocean.
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/555/bustbfcolormp8.jpg
TBF Avenger
According to the Navy’s records, Bush’s squadron was conducting a bombing mission on a Japanese installation on the island of Chi Chi Jima in the Pacific when they encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire.
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/5551/buschichijima9qp5.jpg
Chi Chi Jima, in the archipeligo considered the Japanese home islands
The engine on Bush’s plane was set ablaze, yet Bush managed to release his bombs and head back toward the aircraft carrier USS San Jacinto before bailing out over the water. Two other crew members perished in the attack.
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/1394/busgeorgesl4.jpg
Ensign Bush and two flight crewmembers lost on this day in 1944
After floating on a raft for four hours, a US submarine crew fished a safe but exhausted Bush out of the water. His bravery in action earned him a Distinguished Flying Cross. The previous June, Bush had experienced a similar close call with death when he was forced to make a crash landing on water after a bombing run; a U.S. destroyer crew rescued him from the sea.
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/2600/bus20070919dj14asb5.jpg
Someone aboard the sub had a home movie camera and took footage of Bush being recovered.
After his harrowing experience near Chi Chi Jima, Bush returned to San Jacinto and continued to pilot torpedo bombers in several successful missions. Over the course of 1944, while his squadron suffered a 300 percent casualty rate among its pilots, an undaunted Bush won three Air Medals as well as a Presidential Unit Citation. In total, Bush flew 58 combat missions during the war.
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/4631/bus733pxusssanjacintocvtl7.jpg
USS San Jacinto(CVL-30) underway. Originally laid down as the light cruiser Newark (CL-100), on 26 October 1942 by the New York Shipbuilding Co., Camden, New Jersey; redesignated CV-30 and renamed Reprisal on 2 June 1942; renamed San Jacinto on 30 January 1943, converted, while building, to a light aircraft carrier and reclassified as CVL-30; launched on 26 September 1943
http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/2786/bus08bushxlarge1xm8.jpg
Christening of CVN-77, America's newest carrier
In December 1944, Bush was reassigned to Norfolk Naval Air Station in Norfolk, Virginia, where he was tasked with training new pilots. He received an honorable discharge from the Navy in September 1945 after the Japanese surrender.
http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/6509/buscvn77linelv4.gif
USS George H. W. Bush