George H. W. Bush Papers. 1942 - 2004. World War II Correspondence

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George H. W. Bush Papers. 1942 - 2004. World War II Correspondence

1942-1948

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/891267

This series contains letters George H. W. Bush wrote to his mother Dorothy Walker Bush at the time of his service in the United States Navy during World War II. Scattered throughout the series are a few letters to his sister Nancy Bush, his father Prescott Bush, Sr., and his older brother Prescott Bush, Jr. During the period of his training, Bush described his instruction, daily activities, unusual occurrences while flying, relationship with Barbara Pierce, and visits with family friends while on leave. During his service in the Pacific aboard the San Jacinto, Bush described life aboard ship, his marriage plans, and his shore leave. Of particular interest are letters he wrote during September and October 1944 while aboard the submarine USS Finback which rescued him after being shot down. The letters conclude with George Bush writing his mother during his first few months of marriage while he was based at Detroit, Michigan. In these letters he discussed his life with Barbara and outlined plans for the future. Military censors edited portions of the letters mailed while aboard the San Jacinto. In addition to George H. W. Bush's correspondence with his family, there is correspondence between Prescott Bush Sr. and the family of Ted White, a crewmember with George H. W. Bush who perished when their plane was shot down on September 2, 1944. There are also a few letters between other Bush family members, principally Prescott Bush Jr. and Dorothy Walker Bush. Finally, there is a short story written by Lou Grab, a friend of George H. W. Bush on the San Jacinto and a fellow torpedo plane pilot. In his account, Grab details the activities of torpedo squadron VT-51 of which both he and George H. W. Bush were members. The account provides an overview of the activities of VT-51 and context to Bush's letters, especially those written while Bush served aboard the San Jacinto between January and September 1944.

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George Bush Library

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SNAC Resource ID: 6512935

George Bush Library

Related Entities

There are 6 Entities related to this resource.

Bush, George, 1924-2018

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w60d5kpv (person)

George Herbert Walker Bush (1924-2018) was Vice President of the United States from 1981 to 1989 and the 41st President of the United States from 1989 to 1992. He was born on June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts, to Dorothy Walker Bush and Prescott Bush (who was a Republican Senator from Connecticut from 1952 to 1962). He graduated from Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts on his 18th birthday, June 12, 1942. That same day, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy as a Seaman 2nd Class. Receiving ...

Ellis, Nancy Bush, 1926-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6qw9qgp (person)

Nancy Bush Ellis (1926-) was born on February 4, 1926, the only daughter of Prescott S. Bush (later a Republican senator from Connecticut) and Dorothy Walker Bush. Her brother, George Bush, was the 41st President of the United States. She graduated from Vassar College. She married Alexander Ellis, Jr. The couple had four children: Alexander Ellis, III; John Prescott Ellis (journalist and media consultant); Josiah Wear Ellis; and Nancy Walker Ellis Black. From the description of Ellis...

Bush, Prescott, 1922-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6jv5sg3 (person)

Prescott Sheldon Bush, Jr. (1922-) was born on August 10, 1922, the eldest son of Prescott Sheldon Bush and Dorothy Walker Bush. His younger brother, George Herbert Walker Bush, became the 41st President of the United States. Prescott Bush, Jr., nicknamed "Pressie," attended Yale University. He was chairman of the U.S.-China Chamber of Commerce and president of Prescott Bush Resources. He married Elizabeth Louise Kauffman with whom he had three sons. From the description of Bush, Pre...

Bush, Barbara, 1925-2018

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6jv0df6 (person)

After serving as Second Lady from 1981 to 1989, Barbara Pierce Bush served as First Lady of the United States when her husband George H. W. Bush won the Presidency. She is also the mother of the 43rd President, George W. Bush, and of Florida’s 43rd Governor, Jeb Bush. Rarely has a First Lady been greeted by the American people and the press with the approbation and warmth accorded to Barbara Pierce Bush. Perhaps this is prompted by the image she calls “everybody’s grandmother.” People were co...

Bush, Prescott Sheldon, 1895-1972

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6ff424g (person)

Prescott Sheldon Bush (May 15, 1895 – October 8, 1972) was an American banker and politician. After working as a Wall Street executive investment banker, he represented Connecticut in the United States Senate from 1952 to 1963. A member of the Bush family, he was the father of former Vice President and President George H. W. Bush, and the paternal grandfather of former Texas Governor and President George W. Bush and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Born in Columbus, Ohio, Bush graduated from...

Bush, Dorothy Walker, 1901-1992

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6kv2v4m (person)

Dorothy Walker Bush (1901-1992) was born near Walker's Point, Walker County, Maine on July 1, 1901. She attended Miss Porter's School in Farmington, Connecticut. She married Prescott Sheldon Bush on August 6, 1921 in Kennebunkport, Maine. They had five children together including Prescott S. Bush, Jr.; George Herbert Walker Bush (41st President of the United States); Nancy Bush Ellis; Jonathan James Bush; and William Henry Trotter "Bucky" Bush. Her husband was a Republican senator from Connectic...