Google frequently replaces its Doodle with colorful graphics to highlight important events and holidays or honor the contributions of notable people. But on Wednesday, it took a more somber approach, publishing a gray Doodle to reflect the national day of mourning for former President George H.W. Bush.
Bush, who died Friday at the age of 94, was the 41st president of the United States as well as father to the 43rd president. On his 18th birthday, he enlisted in the US Navy, serving as the youngest fighter pilot in World War II. He flew 58 combat missions, including one that nearly ended his life when he had to ditch his plane in the Pacific Ocean in 1944.
In his lifetime of service in between, he served two terms as vice president to President Ronald Reagan, was a two-term congressman, UN ambassador, head of the Republican Party, envoy to China and director of the CIA.
However, his time in the Oval Office was short-lived, limited to a single term after being defeated in his bid for re-election in 1992 by former President Bill Clinton. After leaving the White House, Bush forged a close friendship with Clinton, and together the two raised millions of dollars for victims of Hurricane Katrina and a devastating tsunami in southeast Asia.
A state funeral will be held Wednesday for Bush at Washington National Cathedral, and the nation will pause for the day to pay tribute to Bush. Flags have been lowered to half-staff across the country, the US Supreme Court and Congress have postponed activities for the day, all federal offices will be closed, and the major stock exchanges will suspend trading.
