hardest task as president was giving the green light for operation dessert storm. but he is credit you had with rescuing the tiny oil-rich nation of kuwait from saddam hussein's million-man army of iraq. before george herbert walker bush took his first step into the white house, he learned to walk in kennebunkport maine. born june 12th, 1924, in the town of milton, massachusetts to a family already deeply involved in public service. he was the second of five children to dorothy and senator prescott bush. with high school behind him, george was accepted at yale university. but put his education on hold. the start of the second world war beckoned him to serve his country instead. in 1942, george bush celebrated his 18th birthday by enlisting in the u.s. naval reserve. within a year, he was the youngest fighter pilot in the navy. taking part in 58 combat missions in the pacific