Flight of the Avenger: George Bush at War

by Joe Hyams

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Genres: Biography, History, War, Presidents, Nonfiction, Military History, World War II

178 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 1991

Reviews

[Javier Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about the military life of a naval aviator, who one day became President of the United States. From his privileged upbringing in Greenwich, Connecticut, to his early school days at Greenwich Country Day and Andover Academy, its clear that Bush was schooled in the old-fashioned idea of noblese oblige. As most likely the Youngest Naval Aviator to serve in the Pacific, the book is sadly too short in talking about Bush's thoughts about this global conflict, how it impressed upon him the role of America in the wider world and how his career shaped his future career as Ambassador, Director of the C.I.A., Vice-President, and as President. Like most of his generation, Bush through this lens always appears older and wiser beyond his years, and humbler than modern politicians come across today, and perhaps a model of what America produced at the moment of maximum peril. It certainly awe inspiring to consider that not only Bush, but future President's Kennedy, Ford, Nixon, and Carter were all in uniform serving somewhere in the pacific, or at the Naval Academy. Its truly inspiring to realize that millions more served equally as distinguished though clearly more anonymously than Mr. Bush. One hopes that such greatness can be outdone again.

[Steven Yoder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gave a slice of WWII focusing on George H. W. Bush's role as a bomber pilot on the USS San Jacinto. Bush was shot down on one of his missions after he bombed a Japanese radio tower and was rescued at sea by the Submarine USS Finback. His rescue was filmed by a member of the Finback crew and shows the future president as vulnerable young man. Overall a very nice book.

[Kenneth Flusche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently read Flyboys: A True Story of Courage
by James D. Bradley …………. and it sparked my curiosity about George and his War Experience.
My only complaint is like Navy textbooks it is written to be understood with a sixth grade education.

[Robert Priest · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story about the WWII days and his meeting and later marriage to his wife.