President George H.W. Bush Lies In State At U.S. Capitol
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Gerald Ford isn't the only United States President with Michigan ties. George H.W. Bush trained on the Great Lakes for his service in WWII.

Among wishes of "fair winds and following seas," President George H.W. Bush was laid to rest. The blessing has its origins in the U.S. Navy, which Bush enlisted in on his 18th birthday, 6 months after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. He completed his training not on the high seas of the world, but on the freshwater waves of Lake Michigan.

A photo of 19-year old Bush is part of the 'Lake Michigan Call of Duty' exhibit at Michigan Maritime Museum in South Haven. Aspiring to be a pilot, the young seaman was assigned to the USS Sable for training. The Sable was a passenger ship, bought and reconfigured by the navy for aircraft carrier exercises in the Great Lakes. Upon completion of his 10 months of training on Lake Michigan, Bush became one of the youngest aviators in the U.S. Navy.

You can read more about his naval career and military service here and find out more about the USS Sable and military operations on the Great Lakes during World War II in the video below.

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