Reporter-News Archives Wednesday, March 26, 1997 Son impressed with father's jump By ANTHONY WILSON Staff Writer Gov. George W. Bush decided to stay in his airplane Tuesday, unlike his father. The Republican governor taxied into Abilene and promptly announced, "the eagle has landed," referring to his presidential father, who parachuted 12,500 feet into the Arizona desert hours earlier. "I really don't know what got into that boy," the governor joked to a waiting throng. "But as my twin daughters say, 'That's pretty cool.' " Bush described himself as "taken aback" when his father called a few weeks ago and announced he would be bailing out of a perfectly good airplane. "I can't tell you what I said," the son said. "And I certainly can't tell you what my mother said. We can't print that in a family newspaper. "It's unusual to know your 72-year-old father is leaping out of airplanes. He'll probably try to swim the English Channel when he's 82." Turning more serious, the governor seemed touched by the symbolism of his father's adventure. The former president's fighter plane was gunned down over the Pacific Ocean 53 years ago as he bombed islands infested by the Japanese. With his wingman and gunner already dead, Bush leaped from his plane and was knocked unconscious. He awoke floating in the Pacific and was later rescued by a U.S. submarine, the USS Finback. The senior Bush reportedly vowed then to someday jump from a plane without the duress of enemy fire. "I really believe jumping today was closing the loop on that moment in his life," his son said. But would he have allowed Texas Rangers slugger Juan Gonzalez, the American League's most valuable player, to pull such a stunt? "Good question," said Bush, whose minority interest in the ballclub remains in a trust while he's in office. "No, I wouldn't." Related story: Bush expects action on tax plan soon   Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story Send the URL (Address) of This Story to A Friend: Enter their email address below: texnews.com Reporter OnLine Local Sports Texas Sports Copyright ©1997, Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications