The American Cancer Society

George Herbert Walker Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts on June 12, 1924. At the age of 18, he enlisted in the Navy and became a pilot. He flew 58 combat missions during World War II and received the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery in action when he was shot down during a mission. After the war, he received a degree in economics from Yale University in 1948 and began a career in the oil industry.

Bush became interested in public service and served two terms as a congressman from Texas. He had two unsuccessful runs for a Senate seat before receiving some high-profile assignments. He was an ambassador to the United Nations, chairman of the Republican National Committee, United States envoy to China, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and served as vice president under Ronald Reagan. After serving as vice president for two terms, Bush became the 41st president of the United States.

During Bush's presidency, he was well favored for his role abroad in Desert Storm, but Americans were disillusioned with the way things were run domestically. In 1992, Bush lost his reelection bid to William Jefferson Clinton. His book, All the Best, George Bush, was published in 1999. He died on November 30, 2018 at the age of 94.

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