Ever since I was a kid, I've fascinated with the "delta wing" aircraft of the US military. It is one reason I like to drive up Route 3 here in southeast Houston -- outside the main gate to Ellington Field is an F102A "Delta Dagger", done up in all its glory as an aircraft of the Texas Air National Guard's 147th Fighter Wing.

Oh, yeah -- underneath the cockpit was stenciled the name and rank of the 147th's most famous pilot. If you walked up to the plane you would see a stencil that read "LT G W Bush".

Notice, please, that I'm using past tense. It seems that this little tribute to the former president is now a former tribute. It only took five months for that stencil to be obliterated.

When George W. Bush was in the Texas Air National Guard, he was stationed at Ellington Field in Houston, Texas. At Ellington Field there are several retired aircraft on display. It has been reported that the F-102 on display at Ellington Field was the one then Lt Bush trained on when he was with the 147th Fighter Wing at Ellington Field.

For many years, the name "LT G W BUSH" was stenciled on the aircraft just below the cockpit, and I've seen it. However, after January 20, 2009, I noticed that "LT G W BUSH" had been painted over. I asked one of the senior officers of the 147th if Bush's name had been deliberately removed. I was told that it was removed temporarily while the aircraft was being repainted. I accepted that explanation. Today I was back on Ellington Field, and I noticed that "LT G W BUSH" had not been restenciled onto the aircraft. I asked a member of the 147th why and their response was a laugh and a "What do you think?" So, it seems that now that Obama is President, the 147th has become politically correct and removed indicators that President Bush had served with them. This could be because now there is talk that the 147th at Ellington Field should be shut down. So much for loyality among airmen.

George W. Bush served this nation honorably as fighter pilot, and was honorably discharged after that service. Isn't it disgraceful that the Era of Hope'N'Change includes sending inconvenient reminders about the previous presidents and their military service have to go down the memory hole?

For the record -- I'm not accusing President Obama of ordering this change. It would be interesting to know who did give the order to paint over the tribute to the 43rd President of the United States.