#HISTORY
Y O U T H №1
G e o r g e H e r b e r t Wa l k e r B u s h w a s b o r n i n t h e f a m i l y o f a s e n a t o r a n d
t h e N e w Yo r k b a n k e r P r e s c o tt B u s h a n d D o r o t h y Wa l k e r B u s h . A f t e r t h e
a tt a c k o n P e a r l H a r b o u r i n 1 9 4 1 , a t t h e a g e o f 1 7 y e a r s , c o n t r a r y t o d e s i r e s
o f t h e f a t h e r , h e b e c a m e t h e y o u n g e s t p i l o t o f U S N a v y. S i n c e s e r v i c e i n
Wo r l d Wa r I I , B u s h b e g a n t o w r i t e h i s f i r s t l e tt e r s . I n t h e m , h e d e s c r i b e d
the daily life of the soldier at the front.
Dear Mum and Dad,
… It is amazing how our moods change here. So many little things
affect us. A cold Coke after drill can do more for one than you can
imagine. I have never appreciated little things before. Ice cream,
movies, a 15 minute rest, a letter, a compliment to our platoon.
… T h e o n l y t h i n g w r o n g w i t h t h i s p l a c e i s , t h e y d o n’ t r e a l i z e
the average intelligence. They hand out so much crude propaganda
here. All the well educated fellows know what they are fighting for
… a n d d o n’ t n e e d t o b e “ b r a i n w a s h e d . ”
Acquaintance with Barbara Pearce became one of the brightest
episodes in George Bush’s life.
Dear Mum,
We l l t o d a y s u r e w a s w o n d e r f u l … I m e t B a r b a r a a t t h e I n n a t
1 2 … S h e l o o k e d t o o c u t e f o r w o r d s — r e a l l y b e a u t i f u l . … I d o n’ t
think that it is entirely wrong for a girl to be kissed by a boy. Let
us take this famous case of Pierce v. Bush summer ’42. I kissed
Barbara and am glad of it.
F r o m t h i s p o i n t , M r . B u s h b e g a n t o d a t e t h e l e tt e r s , a n d t h e y o u n g
On November 30, 2018, the world was flown by
s h a tt e r i n g n e w s - 4 1 U . S . P r e s i d e n t s G e o r g e B u s h d i e d .
He became history not only as the director of the CIA,
the congressman, the diplomat, the vice president
but also as the decent family man, the patriot, and
t h e f a n o f h a n d - w r i tt e n l e tt e r s . To d a y, r e m e m b e r i n g
G e o r g e B u s h , I w a n t t o t e l l y o u h i s s t o r y.
A n d w h a t c a n d e s c r i b e b e tt e r h u m a n l i f e h o w n o t
h i s s o t o u c h i n g t i l l t e a r s l e tt e r s ?
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woman whom he kissed on December 12, 1943, soon became his bride.
My Darling Bar,
This should be a fairly easy letter to write—words should
come easily and in short it should be simple for me to tell you how
desperately happy I was to open the paper and see the announcement
o f o u r e n g a g e m e n t , b u t s o m e h o w I c a n’ t p o s s i b l y s a y a l l i n a l e t t e r
I should like to. I love you, precious; with all my heart and to know
that you love me means my life. How often I have thought about
the immeasurable joy that will be ours some day. How lucky our
children will be to have a mother like you…
Goodnight, my beautiful. Every time I say beautiful you about
kill me but you will have to accept it…
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