In pictures: President George H.W. Bush

George Herbert Walker Bush, the 41st President of the United States and the patriarch of one of America’s dominant political dynasties, died Friday, November 30, at the age of 94.

Bush, the son of a US senator, became the US Navy’s youngest pilot in 1943 and flew 58 combat missions during World War II.

In 1966 he was elected to the US House of Representatives, and he was appointed ambassador to the United Nations in 1971. He also served as director of Central Intelligence before running for president in 1980.

Bush served as vice president of the United States for both of Ronald Reagan’s terms before becoming President himself in 1988. Bush lost his re-election bid to Bill Clinton in 1992, but even after his presidency he continued to serve, teaming up with Clinton and other past Presidents for humanitarian efforts.

“The American Dream means giving it your all, trying your hardest, accomplishing something. And then I’d add to that, giving something back,” Bush said in 1995. “No definition of a successful life can do anything but include serving others.”