Early Life and Career
June 12, 1924 - January 20, 1989
Bush was born on June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts, to Prescott and Dorothy Walker Bush. On his 18th birthday, Bush graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts and enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He received his commission on June 9, 1943, becoming the youngest naval aviator of the time. During World War II (WWII), Bush flew torpedo bombers, completing 58 missions. On a run over Chichi Jima in 1944, his plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire. Bush bailed out and was rescued by a Navy submarine, but tragically, his two crew members were killed. For his service during WWII, Bush was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and three Air Medals.
On January 6, 1945, Bush married Barbara Pierce of Rye, New York. They had six children: George Walker, Pauline Robinson (Robin), John Ellis (Jeb), Neil Mallon, Marvin Pierce, and Dorothy (Doro) Walker. Robin died of leukemia in 1953.
After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Yale University in 1948 with a degree in economics, the Bushes moved to Texas, where George went into the oil exploration business. His career in politics and public service began in 1963, when he was elected chairman of the Harris County (Texas) Republican Party. Bush was elected in 1966 to the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas’ Seventh District and served two terms. Following congressional service, he held several senior-level positions, including U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Chief of the U.S. Liaison Office in China and Director of Central Intelligence. In 1980, Ronald Reagan selected George Bush as his running mate. On January 20, 1981, Bush was sworn in for the first of two terms as Vice President. In that office, Bush piloted a task force on regulatory relief and coordinated administration efforts to combat international terrorism and wage the international war on drugs.
- June 12, 1924
- George Herbert Walker Bush is born in Milton, Massachusetts, to Prescott S. and Dorothy Walker Bush.
- June 12, 1942
- Bush graduates from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.
- June 12, 1942
- Bush enlists in the U.S. Navy Reserve as a Seaman 2nd Class.
- August 5, 1942
- On active duty, Bush flies torpedo bombers off the USS San Jacinto, fighting in the Pacific Theater.
- June 9, 1943
- Bush is commissioned an Ensign and becomes the youngest pilot in the Navy at the time.
- September 2, 1944
- Bush is shot down in the Pacific Ocean and rescued by the submarine, USS Finback.
- January 6, 1945
- Bush marries Barbara Pierce at the First Presbyterian Church in Rye, New York.
- September 18, 1945
- Bush is relieved from active duty as a Lieutenant (jg), after flying 58 combat missions.
- November 1, 1945
- Bush attends Yale University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in Economics. While a student, Bush was captain of the varsity baseball team.
- July 6, 1946
- Son George Walker Bush is born in New Haven, Connecticut.
- June 1948
- Bush works as an oil field supply salesman for Dresser Industries in West Texas; Huntington Park, Bakersfield, Whittier, Ventura, and Compton, California.
- December 20, 1949
- Daughter Pauline Robinson Bush (Robin) is born in Compton, California.
- April 1950
- Bush moves his family to Midland, Texas. He later co-founds the royalty firm Bush-Overbey Oil Development Company, Inc., with John Overbey.
- March 23, 1953
- Bush co-founds Zapata Petroleum Corporation with William and Hugh Liedtke.
- Febuary 11, 1953
- Son John Ellis Bush (Jeb) is born in Midland, Texas.
- October 11, 1953
- Robin dies of leukemia at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York City.
- January 22, 1955
- Son Neil Mallon Bush is born in Midland, Texas.
- October 22, 1956
- Son Marvin Pierce Bush is born in Midland, Texas.
- August 1959
- Bush moves his family to Houston, Texas, to run the spin-off company Zapata Offshore, a pioneering offshore drilling contractor.
- August 18, 1959
- Daughter Dorothy Walker Bush (Doro) is born in Houston, Texas.
- Febuary 20, 1963
- Bush is elected Chairman of the Harris County Republican Committee.
- July 13, 1964
- Bush serves as a Texan delegate at the Republican National Convention in San Francisco, California.
- November 3, 1964
- Bush loses a bid for a seat in the U.S. Senate to Ralph Yarborough.
- September 10, 1965
- Zapata’s off-shore oil rig, Maverick, is swept away by Hurricane Betsy, but no lives are lost.
- November 8, 1966
- Bush is elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and serves as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee. Bush is the first freshman legislator in 60 years to be chosen for this committee.
- December 26, 1967
- For two weeks, Bush visits the South Vietnamese front at his own expense, as well as Thailand and Laos.
- August 5, 1968
- Bush serves as a Texan delegate at the Republican National Convention in Miami Beach, Florida.
- November 5, 1968
- Running unopposed, Bush is re-elected to the House of Representatives.
- April 1969
- Bush is appointed by the Speaker of the House as a delegate to the U.S.-Mexican Interparliamentary Group to promote greater understanding between the two countries.
- November 3, 1970
- Bush loses second bid for U.S. Senate to Lloyd Bentsen.
- Febuary 26, 1971
- Bush is named the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Prior to assuming his U.N. duties, he visits The Hague, Brussels, Vienna and Rome to observe international organizations and specialized agencies.
- January 18, 1973
- Bush serves as chairman of the Republican National Committee, where he actively seeks to increase participation of women and minorities.
- September 4, 1974
- President Ford announces the appointment of George Bush as Chief of the U.S. Liaison Office in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
- October 21, 1974
- George and Barbara Bush arrive in Beijing, China, where he assumes his post as Chief of the U.S. Liaison Office in the PRC.
- January 30, 1976
- Bush serves as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
- 1977
- Bush serves as Chairman on the Executive Committee of the First International Bank in Houston, Texas.
- 1977
- Bush attends the International Economic Conference in West Germany.
- September 1977
- Bush is invited by the Chinese Institute of Foreign Affairs to visit the People’s Republic of China and Tibet.
- May 1, 1979
- Bush announces his candidacy for President of the United States.
- July 1979
- Bush participates in the International Conference on Terrorism in Israel. He also visits Egypt at the time.
- July 16, 1980
- Bush is nominated as Vice Presidential candidate of the Republican Party at the Republican National Convention in Detroit, Michigan.
- January 20, 1981
- Bush is sworn in as Vice President of the United States.
- January 22, 1981
- Bush is appointed Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Regulatory Relief.
- Febuary 21, 1981
- Bush is appointed Chairman of the Task Force to investigate the deaths of the children of Atlanta, Georgia.
- March 24, 1981
- Bush is appointed Chairman of Special Situation Group of the National Security Council, which was formerly known as the Crisis Management Team.
- January 28, 1982
- Bush is appointed Chairman of South Florida Task Force to coordinate solutions to the drug epidemic.
- November 10, 1982
- Bush visits Cape Verde, Senegal, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Zaire and Kenya to discuss Namibian independence and U.S. policy in Africa. He attends the funeral of Leonid Brezhnev and meets with General Secretary Yuri Andropov in the USSR.
- January 30, 1983
- Bush visits the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, France, Great Britain and West Germany to have discussions with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies on deployment of Pershing missiles.
- June 10, 1983
- Bush is appointed Chairman of the National Narcotics Border Interdiction System (NNBIS).
- October 25, 1983
- Bush visits Beirut, Lebanon, after the terrorist bombing of the Marine barracks kills 241.
- November 14, 1983
- Bush is appointed to chair the follow-up group to work with the Japanese on trade matters.
- Febuary 13, 1984
- Bush attends the funeral of Yuri Andropov and meets with General Secretary Konstantin Chernenko in the USSR.
- May 29, 1984
- Bush addresses the opening session of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) foreign ministers meeting.
- March 1985
- Bush visits Switzerland to address the U.N. International Conference on the emergency situation in Africa. He attends the funeral of Konstantin Chernenko and meets with General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev in the U.S.S.R.
- July 1, 1985
- In Germany, Bush meets with the hostages from the hijacking incident aboard TWA Flight 847.
- July 13, 1985
- Under the provisions of the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, Bush becomes President of the United States from 11:32 a.m. to 7:22 p.m. while President Reagan undergoes surgery.
- July 20, 1985
- Bush is appointed Chairman of the Task Force on Combating Terrorism.
- September 1987
- Bush publishes his autobiography, Looking Forward, with Victor Gold.
- October 12, 1987
- Bush announces his candidacy for the Republican Party's nomination for the Presidency of the United States.
- August 18, 1988
- Bush accepts the Republican Party’s nomination for President at the Republican National Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana.
- November 8, 1988
- Bush is elected the forty-first President of the United States of America.