Former President George H. W. Bush was airlifted aboard the USS Bush.

(Navy story waiting for National media to tell)

May 26, 2009, namesake former President George H. W. Bush was airlifted aboard the USS Bush. - Did you read about it in the paper or see it on TV?

On May 26, 2009, namesake former President George H. W. Bush was airlifted aboard the USS Bush for a two-day visit. It had been his greatest wish to watch flight operations from the flight deck of the Navy's newest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and to meet the crew. As a decorated former Naval Aviator in World War II, this has a special significance for him. He was accompanied by his daughter (and the ship's sponsor) "Doro" Bush Koch.



They observed flight ops from the flight deck and the bridge, dined with officers in the Flag Mess and watched night flight ops from the Flag Bridge. The next morning he dined in the Chief's Mess and was escorted around, meeting and greeting crew members.



Finally, he had the crew assembled in hangar bay 2. The CO pointed out that June 12th is his birthday (he'll be 85 years old) and nearly 2,500 seamen sang "Happy Birthday" to him. He then swore in re-enlistees and read the promotion orders to all recently advanced Sailors (and there were a bunch of them).

Lastly, he bade farewell to the crew.

It was quite a moment - at the end of his short remarks, he looked up, paused for a second, and said, "This ship means the world to me." and he then broke down for a few seconds. There wasn't a dry eye in the hangar bay. He then went on and thanked every one of the crew for their service to our country and for making him proud as one of "his Sailors."



This may have been the first time in US Navy history that a ship's namesake (certainly an aircraft carrier) not only was alive at the time of commissioning, but was healthy enough to go aboard when the ship was at sea.

George H.W. Bush was our last president to have served our country in the Active Military.