11-30-18
Between 1/1/53 and 1/1/89, six presidents were inaugurated into office after serving their country in active combat duty during WWII. (Starting with Eisenhower and ending with Bush: Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Gerald Ford and last but not least, George H.W. Bush.)
From A Bird’s Eye View: In the early stages of Operation King – the Leyte Landing, a squadron of Avenger Torpedo bombers [that] launched off the light carrier San Jacinto (in Task Group 38.4) on September 2, 1944 attacked a radar installation on ChiChi Jima (Bonin Islands.) They flew into a storm of antiaircraft fire, and the plane piloted by George H. Bush flamed down and crashed into the sea. Bush had successfully bombed his target before bailing out. The only survivor, he was rescued by a submarine and returned to his carrier one month later.
The 41st President died this evening at his home in Houston.