Brother Joseph Reichert and his wife Eleanor were spending a quiet evening at their Syosset home on January 3, 1989 when the phone rang. The caller asked Joe if he was in the Navy in World War II, did he serve on the San Jacinto, and did he fly with a pilot named George Bush. Joe answered yes to all the questions but didn't understand what the phone call was all about.

The Inaugural Committee had been trying to locate the various crewmen who had served with President-elect George Bush when he was a Lt. j.g. flying Grumman Avengers in World War II. For Brother Joseph Reichert the Navy records only showed the address of his parents in Ozone Park. The Committee enlisted the assistance of the National Security Council and the United States Navy but they were unable to locate him. James Bryan, a Navy veteran and friend of the Bush family, had been working with the Committee trying to locate the crewmen. It occurred to him that many returning veterans who had lived in Brooklyn and Queens settled in Nassau County, which was the fastest growing County in the United States in the post-war years. James Bryan took out his Nassau County phone book and sure enough, there was a listing for Joseph Reichert in Syosset.

Bryan then asked Bro. Reichert if he had any plans for January 20,1989 and if he could be available to attend the Inauguration. It was only then that Brother Reichert realized 'Oh, THAT George Bush'. Reichert had not forgotten the young pilot he flew with, but they had each gone separate ways after the war and Joe Reichert never related the George Bush he had voted for with the George Bush he had flown with.

On September 2,1944, Lt. j .g. George Bush's Grumman TBM Avenger took heavy anti-aircraft fire on a bombing run over the Bonin Islands in the South Pacific. With the plane damaged and heavy smoke in the cockpit, Bush bailed out, catching part of his parachute on the tail of the plane and taking a serious gash to his forehead, which also hit the tail of the plane. One of his crewmen couldn't get out and went down with the Avenger. The parachute of the other crewman did not fully open. The bodies of the gunner and radar operator were never recovered. After Bush hit the water he inflated his life raft and paddled by hand away from the islands while some of his squadron flew cover overhead. The squadron established radio contact with the USS Finback submarine and directed them to Bush's position. Bush was picked up within a few hours by the Finback.

A few days later Joe Reichert was transferred to the San Jacinto to be replacement radar operator. Bush's regular gunner was not on the fateful September 2 flight which had been thought to be an uneventful mission at a lightly defended radio outpost. Leo Nadeau, Bush's regular gunner, was replaced on that flight by an officer friend of Lt. Bush. On November 6, 1944, the new crew flew its first mission, an uneventful one. Joe Reichert recorded in his logbook; 'Pilot - Bush," "Remarks - My New Pilot." The following week they were over Manila Bay in the Philippine Islands and Joe Reichert recorded in his log book, "November 14, 1944. At 1300, we took off with four 500 pounders to hit ships in Manila Bay. When we arrived, several AK (supply ships) were burning and others sunk. Our target was a CA (cruiser), a CL (light cruiser) and two DD (destroyers) tied up at Cavite. Several hits were noticed. When we left, two ships blew up, others were burning. Several planes shot down and others hit." After this attack, Bush flew over a nearby jungle area. Joe asked Bush why he was hanging around, and Bush responded that he wanted to see what damage they'd done. It was then that Joe noticed a hole in the wing which he pointed Out to Bush, who didn't show much concern about it. The rest of the formation had already headed back to the San Jacinto, so their lone Avenger had the sky to themselves with about an hour's flying time to reach the ship. Bro. Reichert related how Bush was a good navigator as well as pilot and had no trouble locating the San Jacinto. Lt. j.g. George Bush, Joe Reichert and Leo Nadeau continued flying missions over the South Pacific until the San Jacinto was taken out of service a short time later.

After the war Bush went on to college, and a career in business and government service. Brother Joseph Reichert stayed in the Navy until 1948 when he returned to Long Island. He continued his military service joining the New York Air National Guard, and earned enough service credit to retire as a Master Sergeant while also completing 37 years of service with New York Telephone Company as a telephone service foreman.

The invitation to the Presidential Inauguration came at a very good time for Brother Reichert and Eleanor, as they were planning doing something different for their 40th wedding anniversary that month. Prior to the Inauguration a special reception was held at Blair House for the crewmen and their wives with President-elect and Mrs. Bush. On Inauguration Day President George Bush and his WWII Avenger the crewmen rode in the parade on a float that had a Grumman Avenger painted with the markings of Bush's World War II plane. During the parade they folded the plane's wings at one point and the crowd appeared amazed; the Avenger was the crowdpleaser of the parade. The events coincided with the Reichert's honeymoon trip to Washington, D.C., forty years earlier. Brother Joe Reichert and his bride Eleanor certainly did get the chance to do "something different" for their 40th Wedding Anniversary.