family of traditionin public services, so, he felt responsible to carry on thetradition. He enlisted in the armed forces on his 18thbirthday and soon became the youngest pilot in the Navy whenhe received his wings. During World War I he flew infifty-eight combat missions. in 1945 Bush was awarded theDistinguished Flying Cross for bravery in action when he wasshot down by Japanese antiaircraft on a mission over thePacific. After his service in World War I, George Bush turnedhis focus in life towards a family and an education. Hemarried Barbara Pierce and together they had six children-George, Robin, John, Neil, Marvin, and Dorothy. He alsoattended Yale University and excelled in sports andacademics. He graduated in 1948 with a degree in economicsand then moved to Texas where he became wealthy in the oilbusiness.George became interested in politics. He ran for theU.S. Senate in 1964, but was unsuccessful. From 1966until 1970 he served in the House of Representatives, butthen quit to try and run for Senator again. Once again,he was unsuccessful. President Richard M. Nixon thenappointed him ambassador to the United Nations from 1971through 1972 and he next held a series of posts that madehim familiar with both the domestic and internationalpolitics of the United States: chairman of the RepublicanNational Committee from 1973 until 1974; chief liaisonofficer in Beijing from 1974 through 1975, before theUnited States established full diplomatic relations withChina; and director of the Central Intelligence Agencyfrom 1976 until 1977. Bush competed for the Republicannomination for the presidency in 1980 but lost to RonaldReagan. He accepted Reagan's invitation to be his runningmate, and became vice president in 1981.After he won reelection on the Reagan ticket in 1984,Bush won the 1988 Republican presidential nomination. Hechose Dan Quayle, a U.S. senator from Indiana, to be hisrunning mate. During the campaign Bush accused hisoppone...
