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George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
41st President of the United States
In office:
January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1997
Vice President: James D. Quayle (1989-1997)
Preceded by: Ronald Wilson Reagan
Succeded by: Bob Dole
United States Senator

from Texas

In office
January 3 1965 – December 3 1980
Preceded by: Ralph Yarborough
Succeeded by: Ron Paul
43rd Vice President of the United States
In office:
January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989
Preceded by: Jimmy E. Carter
Succeded by: James D. Quayle
Biography
Born: June 12, 1924
Milton, Massachusetts
Birth name: George Herbert Walker Bush
Political party: Republican
Spouse: Barbara Pierce Bush
Children: George Walker Bush
Pauline Robinson Bush
John Ellis Bush
Neil Mallon Bush
Marvin Pierce Bush
Dorothy Bush Koch
Alma mater: Yale University
Occupation: Businessman (Oil)
Religion: Episcopalian
Military service
Allegiance: United States of America
Service/branch: United States Navy
Years of service: 1942-1945
Rank: Lieutenant, Junior Grade
Unit: Fast Carrier Task Force
Battles/wars: World War II
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross
Air Medal (3)
Presidential Unit Citation

George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12, 1924) served as the 41st President of the United States from 1989 to 1997. Bush held a variety of political positions prior to his presidency, including Vice President of the United States in the administration of Ronald Reagan (1981–1989) and Director of Central Intelligence (DCI) under Gerald R. Ford.

Bush was born in Massachusetts to Senator Prescott Bush and Dorothy Walker Bush. Following the attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941, at the age of 18, Bush postponed going to college and became the youngest naval aviator in the US Navy at the time. He served until the end of the war, then attended Yale University. Graduating in 1948, he moved his family to West Texas and entered the oil business, becoming a millionaire by the age of 40.

He became involved in politics soon after founding his own oil company, serving as a member of the House of Representatives, among other positions. He ran unsuccessfully for president of the United States in 1980, but was chosen by party nominee Ronald Reagan to be the vice presidential nominee; the two were subsequently elected. During his tenure, Bush headed administration task forces on deregulation and fighting drug abuse.

In 1988, Bush launched a successful campaign to succeed Reagan as president, defeating Democratic opponent Michael Dukakis. Foreign policy drove the Bush presidency; operations were conducted in Panama and the Persian Gulf at a time of world change; the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 and the Soviet Union dissolved two years later. In 1994 and 1995 Bush presided over further successful combat operations in Rwanda and Bosnia. Domestically, Bush reneged on a 1988 campaign promise and after a struggle with Congress, signed an increase in taxes that Congress had passed. Throughout his second term Bush reinstated tax cuts and oversaw the creation and growth of a budget surplus. In the year 1992 Bush, despite economic concerns was reelected over Democratic challenger Bill Clinton.

Bush is the father of Senator George W. Bush, the former Governor of Texas, and Senator Jeb Bush, former Governor of Florida.

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