Is it true that Bush Sr. bailed out of his plane during WW2 and let his crew fend for themselves?

Question

I've read this in several publications, yet no one has held him accountable. Is this not true or does money outweigh accountability.

Answer 1

I don't know. I do know I have heard lots of explanations of it over the years. Most that he was young, rich, and silver spoon. Pressed an attack in a stupid way and got shot down. His crew died and he sank the boat and swam away. There are no rules or guilt about being young and stupid in war. Just the way it tends to work. But at least he got shot at. Scared shitless, something my dad would also admit. My dad was a Tennessee farm boy who won a couple of bronze stars in the navy and hated WWII the rest of his life, but built and repaired airplanes. He was not perfect so why don't we give this a rest. I doubt Bush Sr. was perfect. No one is. Let's let him be human, scared, being shot at, brave, stupid , and young. His crew may have been from a different social class but they seemed to like him. Leave it as stupid and young and basically green at war and something I figure he probably feels about to this day.

Answer 2

He had no choice. He kept the plane in the air as long as he could in order to give the rest of his crew time to escape. However there came a point where all he would achieve by remaining in the aircraft any long would be his pointless death.

Remember that there was no way for him to assist the other crew-members. All he could do was order them to bail out while he kept the plane in the air as long as he could.

You should be ashamed of yourself.

Answer 3

+ leadfoot, I am beginning to believe that you have never served your country in peace or in war. I think I may hold you accountable for being a selfish and self serving child and take away your TV privilege until your supper time.

Answer 4

That, like most Democratic lies to make TRUE Americans look bad, is false

Answer 5

"After graduating from Phillips Academy in June 1942, he joined the U.S. Navy on his 18th birthday to become an aviator. After completing the 10-month course, he was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve at Corpus Christi, Texas on June 9, 1943, just three days before his 19th birthday, which made him the youngest naval aviator to that date.

After finishing flight training, he was assigned to Torpedo Squadron (VT-51) as photographic officer in September 1943. As part of Air Group 51, his squadron was based on the USS San Jacinto (CVL-30) in the spring of 1944. San Jacinto was part of Task Force 58 that participated in operations against Marcus and Wake Islands in May, and then in the Marianas during June. On June 19, the task force triumphed in one of the largest air battles of the war. Shortly after takeoff Bush's aircraft made a forced water landing. A destroyer rescued the young pilot and his crew, although the plane was lost.[1] On July 25, Bush and another pilot received credit for sinking a small cargo ship off Palau.


George H. W. Bush flying TBM Avenger off the carrier USS San Jacinto in 1944After Bush's promotion to Lieutenant Junior Grade on August 1, the San Jacinto commenced operations against the Japanese in the Bonin Islands. On September 2, 1944, Bush piloted one of four Grumman TBM Avenger aircraft from VT-51 that attacked the Japanese installations on Chichi Jima. For this mission his crew included Radioman Second Class John Delaney and Lieutenant Junior Grade William White, who substituted for Bush's regular gunner. During their attack, four Avengers from VT-51 encountered intense antiaircraft fire. While starting the attack, Bush's aircraft was hit and his engine caught on fire. Despite the fact that his plane was on fire, he completed his attack and released the bombs over his target, scoring several damaging hits. With his engine on fire, Bush flew several miles from the island, where he and one other crew member on the TBM Avenger bailed out of the aircraft. However, the other man's parachute did not open, and he fell to his death. It was never determined which man bailed out with Bush. Both Delaney and White were killed in action. While Bush waited four hours in his inflated raft, several fighters circled protectively overhead until he was rescued by the lifeguard submarine USS Finback. For this action Bush received the Distinguished Flying Cross. During the month he remained on the USS Finback, Bush participated in the rescue of other pilots.

Bush subsequently returned to San Jacinto in November 1944 and participated in operations in the Philippines. When San Jacinto returned to Guam, the squadron, which had suffered 50 percent casualties of its pilots, was replaced and sent to the United States. Through 1944, he had flown 58 combat missions for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals, and the Presidential Unit Citation awarded aboard the San Jacinto.

Because of his valuable combat experience, Bush was reassigned to Norfolk Navy Base and put in a training wing for new torpedo pilots. He was later assigned as a naval aviator in a new torpedo squadron, VT-153. With the surrender of Japan, he was honorably discharged in September 1945 and then entered Yale University."

Answer 6

I thought he got captured by japs...