In observance of the national day of mourning for President Bush, we’re proudly displaying a print from our collection that he signed along
with some of his fellow veterans. By now you’ve probably heard that he was a
naval aviator who survived being shot down during World War II. Low Holding over San Jacinto by Robert
Taylor depicts Lt. j.g. Bush’s TBM Avenger and three of his squadron mates
preparing to land on USS San Jacinto
(CVL-30).
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Low Holding Over San Jacinto by Robert Taylor
(click to enlarge) |
Before he fought in the Pacific Theater, Bush trained at several
locations on the East Coast including Naval Auxilliary Air Station Charlestown
here in Rhode Island. Charlestown was used to prepare pilots for night
operations, and part of his training included practice landings on the outline
of an aircraft carrier deck painted on the runway. He later referred to those
exercises as “damn good training.”
On September 2, 1944, Bush flew one of four aircraft from VT-51 that
was assigned to attack a radio tower on the island of Chichi Jima (part of the
Ogasawara archipelago that also includes Iwo Jima). The Japanese Army was using
the radio tower to send warnings of incoming B-29 raids from Saipan and Tinian.
As Bush approached the target, his aircraft was hit by antiaircraft fire.
Damaged but not disabled, he dropped his bombs on target before turning around
and heading out to sea. But smoke eventually filled the cabin to the point
where Bush had to bail out. Neither of the other two crew members survived. An
American submarine, USS Finback
(SS-230), had been assigned lifeguard duty for the raid and was in the area waiting
to pick up downed air crew. Friendly aircraft guided Finback to the wet and wounded Bush who had been floating in a small
life raft for four hours. Bush earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for his
part in the Chichi Jima raid.
Low Holding Over San Jacinto
is signed by George Bush and nine other members of VT-51. Their names are Leo
Nadeau (gunner on Bush’s crew), Nat Adams, R.A. Alexander, Jack Guy, William
Hile, L.R. Hole, Sam Jackson, Joseph Martelle, and Richard Playstead.
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| (click to enlarge) |
Rob Doane
Curator
Naval War College Museum
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