George H. W. Bush | 130

 


George Herbert Walker Bush grew up in a wealthy family. His father was a prominent investment banker, which meant they could afford to send him to an elite private academy. While there, he served as secretary of the student council, president of the community fund-raising group, and president of the senior class. During World War II, he enlisted in the Navy. After a period of training, he was appointed as an ensign in the Naval Reserve at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi on June 9, 1943.

Bush became one of the youngest pilots in the Navy. He later attended Yale College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in economics and minoring in sociology. He was able to graduate in just two and a half years, instead of the usual four. After college, he launched a successful oil business and became a millionaire by age 40. He would go on to become the 41st President of the United States.