George H.W. Bush Presidential Library

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At the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library, you’ll explore the story of our 41st President before and after his White House years. Read on for what to see when you visit.
There are 15 presidential libraries nationwide that commemorate former Presidents’ public service and lifetime accomplishments and provide a snapshot of their personal and family lives. I had the opportunity to visit one of them during a recent trip to Bryan, Texas—the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library on the campus of Texas A&M University .
The George H.W. Bush Presidential Library is one of 15 presidential libraries nationwide. Photo courtesy of Destination Bryan
I knew George H.W. Bush was President during the Gulf War when the Berlin Wall fell and during the invasion of Panama. However, I learned some fascinating things about our 41st president that I’d never have known by reading newspapers and magazines or opening a history book:

The Japanese shot down his plane during WWII, and he narrowly escaped being captured and killed by cannibals.
He met Barbara, his future wife, because he didn’t know how to waltz.
The couple had to send their wedding invitations with the date written in pencil.
He was captain of the Yale baseball team and played first baseman in two Collegiate World Series.
The GI Bill enabled him to graduate from Yale in two and a half years instead of four.
He started a company that Pennzoil acquired and is now part of the Shell Oil conglomerate.
His daughter died of leukemia, and he and Barbara established a foundation to benefit leukemia research.
He was the longest-married president in US history.

George H.W. Bush’s World War II Service
Of all the exhibits in the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, I found the one about George H.W. Bush’s military service during World War II the most interesting. He enlisted as a Navy pilot on his 18th birthday after the U.S. entered World War II and served on the USS San Jacinto from August 1942 through September 1945.
George H.W. Bush served in the Navy from August 1942 through September 1945. Photo courtesy of Destination Bryan
I saw pictures of him with his crew, a replica of their 1944 TBM Avenger, and a restored model of the USS San Jacinto. But I most enjoyed the video of him being rescued by a submarine after he was shot down during a bombing raid.
George H. W. Bush and his crew were shot down in September 1944, about 500 miles from Japan. He was the only survivor and narrowly escaped capture. Natives tortured, killed, and cannibalized other members of his crew during what is now called the Chi Chi Jima Incident .
Marriage to Barbara Pierce
People who are good dancers are usually popular at parties. So, I found it ironic that George H.W. Bush met his wife, Barbara, because he didn’t know how to waltz.
George met (then) Barbara Pierce at a Christmas dance when he was a 17-year-old high school senior, and she was 16. The band was playing Glenn Miller tunes when he asked her to dance, but the music changed to a waltz. Since he didn’t know how to waltz, they sat out the dance and talked.
The couple announced their engagement in 1943 and married on January 6, 1945, while George was on leave from the Navy. However, they had to write the date in pencil on the invitations because they weren’t sure when George would be granted leave. Barbara was a VERY tolerant bride. When I planned my wedding, everything had to be perfect, including the invitations.
George H.W. Bush married Barbara Pierce on January 6, 1945, while he was on leave from the Navy. Photo courtesy of George H.W. Bush Presidential Library
George H.W. Bush’s Years at Yale
I knew George Bush graduated from Yale, but I wasn’t aware that he got his degree in two and a half years instead of the usual four. Like many veterans, he was a recipient of the GI Bill. So, he was in an accelerated program that allowed him to obtain his BA in Economics and minor in Sociology more quickly. He was also the first baseman on the baseball team, served as captain his senior year, and played in two Collegiate World Series.
George H.W. Bush was the first baseman on the baseball team and played in two Collegiate World Series. Photo courtesy of George H.W. Bush Presidential Library
After Graduation in West Texas
I remembered that George H.W. Bush worked in the private sector before getting involved in public service and politics, but I was surprised at how successful he was.
After he graduated in 1948, he and his family headed for West Texas, where he embarked on a career in the oil and gas industry. One of the exhibits at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library talks about his experience working in oil fields and on rigs. He started Zapata Petroleum Corporation in 1953, and it merged with South Penn Oil in 1963. South Penn Oil eventually became Pennzoil, acquired by Shell Oil in 2002.
George H.W. Bush worked in the oil and gas industry and started Zapata Petroleum Corporation. Photo courtesy of George H.W. Bush Presidential Library
George H.W. Bush’s Family
Like most people, I knew George H.W. Bush was the father of George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States, and John (Jeb), who unsuccessfully campaigned for the Republican nomination in 2016. However, I didn’t know he had four other children, and that one died as a child.
Neil, Marvin, and Dorothy (Doro) are his three children who survived. The fourth, Pauline Robinson (Robin), was diagnosed with advanced leukemia when she was three. Her parents took her to the Sloan Kettering Institute in New York City, but she died shortly before her fourth birthday. After her death, George and Barbara Bush established a foundation to support leukemia research.
George H.W. Bush had six children, but one died of leukemia when she was three. Photo courtesy of George H.W. Bush Presidential Library
The 41st President’s Public Service
I knew George Bush served two terms as vice president under Ronald Reagan, was elected the 41st President of the United States in 1988, and left public office in 1993. However, I didn’t remember much about his other public service experience. A series of George H.W. Bush Presidential Library exhibits refreshed my memory.
His election to the US. House of Representatives launched his public service career in 1966. After two terms, he served as ambassador to the United Nations, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Chief of the US Liaison Office in the People’s Republic of China, and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
He campaigned for the Republican nomination for President in 1980 and lost but won in the long run because Ronald Reagan chose him as his running mate. He ran for President in 1988 with Dan Quayle as his running mate and was elected.
George H.W. Bush served as Vice-President for eight years and was elected President in 1988. Photo courtesy of Destination Bryan
George H.W. Bush at the White House
While walking through the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library, I visited the Oval Office, Camp David Office, and the White House Situation Room, where the “powers that be” make all the “big decisions.”
Replica of the Oval Office at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum. Photo courtesy of Destination Bryan
I also saw how much the world changed during George Bush’s administration. The Cold War ended, the Eastern Bloc broke up, and the Berlin Wall fell. A segment of the Berlin Wall on display reminded me of the horror stories we heard in Berlin about life under Communism.
George H.W. Bush sent American troops to Panama to overthrow General Manuel Noriega and protect the Panama Canal. That brought back different memories because my husband was a civilian working for the US Army at Fort Huachuca in Southern Arizona. He was scheduled to go to Panama, but his orders were canceled because of the war.
George H.W. Bush deployed 425,000 American troops to Iraq to fight in Desert Storm. Photo courtesy of Destination Bryan
A wall map showing how the Gulf War played out after Iraqi President Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait brought back more memories. The 425,000 American troops deployed to Iraq to fight in Desert Storm included soldiers my husband worked with.
Pro Tip: Try the interactive light board to see a “play-by-play” account of how the Gulf War was fought and won.
The George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Grounds
The grounds at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library are a tribute to the 41st president and First Lady Barbara Bush. The Monument to Freedom sculpture in the courtyard represents the joy felt by people worldwide when the Berlin Wall collapsed.
The Monument to Freedom sculpture in the courtyard celebrates the collapse of the Berlin Wall. Photo by Marni Patterson
The Rose Garden and gazebo honor First Lady Barbara Bush and are popular for marriage proposals, family and group photos, and wedding ceremonies. The Presidential Pond was President Bush’s favorite place to relax, fish, walk his dogs, and meet with people.
The Rose Garden and gazebo are a tribute to First Lady Barbara Bush. Photo by Marni Patterson
Tribute to George H.W. and First Lady Barbara Bush
When Barbara Bush died on April 17, 2018, the Bushes had been married 73 years, the longest of any president in history. George H.W. Bush died later that year on November 30, 2018, at the age of 94. Officials escorted his casket to the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library after a state funeral on December 5 at Washington National Cathedral. An iron gate decorated with gold stars and the Presidential seal guards his gravesite and those of Barbara Bush and their daughter Robin.
Pro Tip: Take the path to the left of the Presidential Pond and walk through the woods to visit the gravesites.
George H.W. Bush died in 2018 and is buried beside his wife, Barbara, and daughter Robin. Photo by Marni Patterson
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Honoring the Future at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum
President George Bush said, “Let future generations understand the burdens and blessings of freedom. Let them say we stood where duty required us to stand” during his State of the Union Address on January 29, 1991, during the early days of Desert Storm. I saw these words on the wall of the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and thought they were a fitting tribute to a leader who guided the country through two wars and numerous global transitions.
When planning your trip to the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum, and other wonderful museums or places in Texas , let Wander With Wonder be your guide.
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George H.W. Bush Presidential Library
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