No matter your political leanings you've got to admire HW, if for nothing else his WWII war record. The youngest Naval aviator at that time. On September 2, 1944 piloting one of four Grumman TBM Avengers of VT-51 that attacked the Japanese installations on Chichijima. His plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire and his engine caught fire. Nonetheless he completed his bombing run and then flew out to sea several miles, luckily. Both he and his radioman bailed out but only Bush's parachute opened. He was rescued by an American sub while the crews of the other three Avengers (also shot down and bailed out but closer to the island) were captured by Japanese boats.
In perhaps one of the grizzliest atrocities of the war the other five crewmen captured by the Japanese were tortured and beheaded and later eaten by the Japanese commander and his top officers. Of the 8 men on that mission only HW survived
HW went on to fly 58 combat missions for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals, and the Presidential Unit Citation.
While the light fades from sight,
And the stars gleaming rays softly send,
To thy hands we our souls, Lord, commend.
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