Bush: Not the top student
2004-09-08 08:27
Washington - The Pentagon released on Tuesday recently discovered military flight records from President George W Bush's controversial air national guard service from 1968-73 that shows he ranked in the middle of his class in training school but stopped flying in May, 1972.
A Pentagon official who asked not to be identified said the records were found recently during a search for unrelated information under the United States Freedom of Information Act.
Gaps in Bush's military record have attracted scrutiny because of allegations by opponents that he failed to show up for duty after moving to Alabama in 1972 to work on a political campaign.
Among the documents released by the Pentagon were his individual flight records from December 1969 through December 31 1973.
They show that Bush logged a total of 576 flying hours as of July 31 1972.
His last recorded flight was May 27 1972 in an F-102 fighter, according to one document. Another document summarising his flight record as of December 31 1973 shows that he last flew in April 1972.
The documents released also included summary records of his flight training at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia from November 1968 to November 1969.
They showed he ranked 22nd in a class of 53 on graduation. His final academic training grade was 94.95, according to a summary record of training.
- AFP