Future president George H.W. Bush served in the U.S. navy during the majority of the American war years during World War II, in the Pacific Theater. He had come close to being KIA as an enemy solider had damaged his plane enough to force Bush to eject himself from the aircraft. He was saved by American Navy sailors before the Japanese could capture him, which was not the case for some of his close comrades that day, whom met grim fates. He left the military shortly after the end of World War II.