Bush was tentatively scheduled to lift off around 3 p.m. but boarded Air Force One just before 2:30 p.m.

Air Force One took off about 10 minutes later.

It landed at Hickam about 10 minutes ahead of schedule around 11:05 a.m.

At the end of Bush's visit, about 150 military members and civilians greeted the president at Hickam as he exited his motorcade to get back onboard Air Force One.

Bush stopped for about five minutes to shake hands and pose for pictures.

Debbie Boenisch, her husband, Air Force Maj. Jeremiah Boenisch, and their daughters Kylie, 9, and Kate, 6, posed for a photograph with Bush just before he left.

"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity," Debbie Boenisch said.

Army Sgt. Anthony Cruz shook hands with Bush and said, "I didn't know how to react. It was just so exciting."

Bush stopped at Hickam on his way back to Washington, D.C. from Sydney, Australia, where he met with world leaders during the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.

He was greeted in Hawai'i by Gov. Linda Lingle and local military leaders.

Bush also met briefly with Nu'uanu resident Caroline Tom and gave her a volunteer service pin. Tom offered Bush a lei and kiss.

Then Bush went off for a private meeting at the Hickam enlisted club with 32 Hawai'i-based military members who had been wounded in Iraq and one who was wounded in Afghanistan.

There was one sailor among the Marines and soldiers. They are all outpatients at Tripler Army Medical Center or at Marine Corps Base Hawaii.

After meeting with the wounded service members and their families, Bush told reporters, "I'm amazed at their spirit and resolve."