The First Recorded Bush Lie?

Reading through a very entertaining history of the Bush family fortunes, I came across this story about a wildly inaccurate newspaper report in Bush's home town newspaper, way back in 1918. It concerns the WWI activities of grandpa Prescott Bush:

"The incident occurred on the western front about the time the Germans were launching their great offensive of July 15.... The history of the remarkable victory scored later by the allies might have been written in another vein, but for the heroic and quick action of Captain Bush.

The ... three allied leaders, Gen. [Ferdinand] Foch, Sir Douglas Haig and Gen. [John J.] Pershing ... were making an inspection of American positions. Gen. Pershing had sent for Captain Bush to guide them about one sector.... Suddenly Captain Bush noticed a shell coming directly for them. He shouted a warning, suddenly drew his bolo knife, stuck it up as he would a ball bat, and parried the blow, causing the shell to glance off to the right.... "

Can you believe it? He batted away the incoming shell with his bolo knife!!!

Well, actually, no he didn't. Prescott Bush's unit had not even come under enemy fire, and would not even engage the enemy for another four months. Four weeks after the above story appeared, Bush's mother sent the paper a short letter saying that a letter "written in the spirit of fun" had been misinterpreted.

Years later, the media are still propogating Bush family fantasies...