June 12, 1924   Born in Milton, Massachusetts.
June 4, 1942     Graduates from Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.
June 12, 1942   On 18th birthday enlists in U.S. Navy as Seaman 2nd Class.
June 1943     Earns wings and is youngest commissioned Naval aviator.  Assigned to USS San Jacinto in the Pacific theater.
September 2,1944    Shot down while on a mission in the Pacific.       
January 6, 1945      Marries former Barbara Pierce.
1948     Graduates from Yale, Phi Beta Kappa. Degree in Economics.
1948-50   Supply salesman for Dresser Industries in west Texas and Ca.
1951      Cofounder of Bush-Overby Oil Development Company.
1953      Cofounder of Zapata Petroleum Corporation.
1954      Cofounder of Zapata Offshore, pioneer in offshore drilling platforms.
1963      Serves as Chairman of Harris County Republican Organization.
1964      Attends the 1964 Republican National Convention as a delegate.
1966      Elected to the U.S. House of Rep.from 7th District of Texas
1968      Re-elected to Congress without opposition.
1971-73      U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.
1973-74      Chairman of the Republican National Committee.
1974       Appointed Chief of the United States Liaison Office to People’s Republic of China in Beijing.
1976       Appointed Director of Central Intelligence Agency.
July 1980    Selected by Ronald Reagan to be his running mate at the Republican National Convention.
November 4, 1980     Elected Vice President designate of the United States.
January 20, 1981      Sworn in as the 43rd Vice President of the United States.
January 20, 1985      Sworn in to second term.
July 13, 1985       Vice President is named Acting President of the United States for several hours in a historic transfer of authority from President Reagan under the 25th Amendment to the Constitution.
October 12, 1987      In Houston, Texas, announces his candidacy for President of the United States.