The life and times of President George H. W. Bush
Jun 12, 1924: George Herbert Walker Bush is born in Milton, Massachusetts. His father, Prescott Bush is an investment banker; his mother, Dorothy Walker is the daughter of a banker Education: Graduates from the Phillips Academy Andover, an exclusive boarding school in Massachusetts, in 1942
1942-45: Serves in Navy as a fighter pilot during the Second World War. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism after being shot down in Tokyo Bay by Japanese
1945: Marries Barbara
Pierce. Enrols at Yale University
1948: Graduates with a degree in economics.
At Yale he is initiated into the secretive Skull and Bones society with name of Magog.
After graduation, Bush, Barbara and two-year-old son George W. Bush move to Texas. Bush begins working in the oil industry 1954: Becomes president of drilling equipment company, Zapata Off-Shore Political career: Becomes Republican Party chairman in Harris County, Texas
1964: Is defeated in his first bid for Senate seat
1966-70: Wins seat in House of Representatives. Serves on Ways and Means Committee. Supports Vietnam War
1970: Serves as ambassador to United Nations during presidency of Richard Nixon, the first of a series of high-level positions 1973: Serves as chairman of the Republican National Committee. Plays pivotal role during Watergate
scandal, urging
Nixon to resign after release of
White House tapes. Nixon resigns presidency in August 1974 1974: President Gerald Ford appoints Bush as US envoy to People’s Republic of China 1975-76: Serves as director of Central Intelligence Agency. Family returns to Texas 1979: Iranian students storm the US embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. Bush announces his candidacy for President 1980: Ronald Reagan wins Republican nomination, Bush is chosen as his running mate 1981-89: Serves as Vice-President. Bush’s reputation is tarnished in 1986 by the Iran-Contra
affair. Scandal involves administration secretly selling arms to Iran to free seven US hostages held by Hezbollah in Lebanon. $18 million from arms sales is diverted to fund anti-Communist Contra rebels in Nicaragua Jan 1989: George Bush is sworn in as 41st president of the United States. His Americans with Disabilities Act and Clean Air Act are welcomed as landmark civil rights and
environmental legislation Nov: Berlin Wall falls. Bush pushes for German reunification Dec: Bush invades Panama and removes military dictator Manuel Noriega from power
Bush meets with Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev at Malta Summit. Meeting is seen as key step towards ending Cold War
Aug 1990: Iraq’s President Saddam Hussein invades oil-rich neighbour Kuwait. Bush condemns the invasion and rallies a coalition of 32 nations to liberate Kuwait
Jan 17, 1991: Coalition aircraft attack Iraq. Ground assault to force Iraqi troops out of Kuwait begins on February 24 and lasts exactly 100 hours. Bush’s approval ratings surge Jul: Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) is signed by Bush and Gorbachev in Moscow Dec: The Soviet Union falls, marking the end of the Cold War Jan 1993: President Bill Clinton takes office
Apr: Plot by Iraqi Intelligence Service to assassinate Bush during visit to Kuwait is foiled
Post-presidency: After leaving office, former President Bush works with President Clinton to raise funds following catastrophic tsunami in south-east Asia and Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico Jun 12, 2014: Bush marks his 90th birthday with a tandem parachute jump Nov 30, 2018: Former president Bush, age 94, passes away at his home in Houston, Texas. His death comes seven months after that of his wife, former first lady Barbara Bush