Future President of the United States, George H.W. Bush saw his share of horror during his time as a Navy Flyboy in WWII.  But, some of the details would ultimately be erased by our government and even he wouldn't know the extent of how horrible it really was until many years later...

George H. W. Bush Narrowly Avoided Being Eaten by Japanese Soldiers During World War II. Blake Stilwell. We Are the Mighty.

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-george-hw-bush-avoided-being-eaten-by-cannibals-in-world-war-ii-2017-12

All That’s Interesting. When George H.W. Bush was Almost Cannibalized During World War 2. 06-12-2016. https://allthatsinteresting.com/george-bush-cannibalized-chichijima-incident

Simple History. The President who Avoided Being Eaten by Cannibals in WWII. 12-30-2018.

US Naval Institute. Former President George H. W. Bush on His WWII Experiences. 12-01-2019.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KTkfqk-OGw

Lend-Lease Act. History.com. 11/04/2019. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/lend-lease-act-1

World War II. History.com. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/world-war-ii-history

George H.W. Bush’s Role in WWII Was Among the Most Dangerous. History. Jesse Greenspan. 02/13/2019. https://www.history.com/news/george-hw-bush-wwii-airman

Island Hopping: Footholds Across the Pacific. Road To Tokyo. Pacific Theater Galleries. The National WWII Museum. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/visit/exhibits/road-tokyo/island-hopping

President Bush Attends Christening Ceremony of the George H.W. Bush. The White House. Northrop Grumman Newport News Shipyward. Newport News, Virginia. 10/2006. 10:55 AM.

https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2006/10/20061007-1.html

Bush’s Legacy Includes Decisive Military Action. US Department of Defense. 12/01/2018. Jim Garamone. https://www.defense.gov/Explore/News/Article/Article/1702803/bushs-legacy-includes-decisive-military-action/

Mission: Lifeguard. American Submarines in the Pacific Recover Downed Pilots. Nathanial S. Patch.

https://www.archives.gov/files/publications/prologue/2014/fall/lifeguard.pdf

The Secret of Japan’s Strength. Albrecht Furst von Urach. German Propaganda Archive. Calvin University. https://research.calvin.edu/german-propaganda-archive/japan.htm

Fire for Effect: Toughing it out in the Japanese Army. Robert M. Citino. 10/2018. https://www.historynet.com/fire-for-effect-toughing-japanese-army.htm

World War II: Japanese Army Training. 12/14/2015. https://www.histclo.com/essay/war/ww2/cou/jap/force/army/train/ija-train.html

War in the Pacific: The Pacific Offensive. https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/npswapa/extContent/wapa/guides/offensive/sec5.htm

That Time Japanese Soldiers Cannibalized US Pilots in World War II. Logan Nye. 12/20/2015. https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/time-japanese-soldiers-cannibalized-us-pilots-world-war-ii

Sorties into Hell: The Hidden War on Chichi Jima. Stanley L. Falk. Society for Military History. April, 2004. Volume 68. P. 641-642.

Inside Hook. Horrors of History: How George H. W. Bush Dodged Cannibalism Death in WWII. Jennifer Wright. April 5, 2019. https://www.insidehook.com/article/history/the-horrors-of-history-the-cannibalism-of-chichijima

Japanese Soldiers Cannibalised US Airmen on Chichi Jima, WWII. George Winston. February 10, 2016. https://www.warhistoryonline.com/war-articles/japanese-soldiers-cannibalised-us-airme.html

CNN Presents Story of George HW Bush World War II Experience. Aired December 20, 2003. Paula Zahn, Host. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0312/20/cp.00.html

File: Japanese War Trials. PDF.

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Japaneese_War_Trials_A.pdf&page=2

Secret Tale of WWII “Flyboys”. Rome Neal. 10/03/2003. CBS. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/secret-tale-of-wwii-flyboys/

Victory and Occupation. Chapter III. Return to the Islands. History of the US Marine Corps Operations in World War II. https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/V/USMC-V-III-3.html

Flyboys: A True Story of Courage. February 1, 2006. James Bradley. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN: 031610728X