Was John McCain a ‘war hero’?
Presidential candidate Donald Trump has generated a lot of press, and criticism from other candidates, for his claim that Senator John McCain was not a “war hero.” As it happens, Trump was partially right, but he didn’t go far enough.
What happened to John McCain after the Vietnam War?
McCain was taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese (with fractures in his right leg and both arms, for which he received minimal care) and spent the next five-plus years enduring torture and brutality as a POW before being released following the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in early 1973.
Why do we care about John McCain?
There is no reason to doubt that McCain believed he was in Vietnam to risk his life — and then, to endure a living hell — in defense of our nation’s highest ideals. His willingness to sacrifice his own well-being to what he believed to be America’s interests deserves our awe-struck admiration.
Did John McCain admit to war crimes?
The "documents" include an article McCain wrote for U.S. News & World Report in 1973, upon his release from prison camp. In the article, McCain admits that he--like many POWs--confessed to war crimes under physical and emotional duress.
What happened to John McCain as a prisoner of war?
His status as a prisoner of war (POW) made the front pages of major American newspapers. McCain spent six weeks in the hospital, where he received marginal care. He had lost 50 pounds (23 kg), he was in a chest cast, and his gray hair had turned white. McCain was sent to a different camp on the outskirts of Hanoi.
Did John McCain fight in ww2?
McCain was a pioneer of aircraft carrier operations. Serving in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II, in 1942 he commanded all land-based air operations in support of the Guadalcanal campaign, and in 1944–45 he aggressively led the Fast Carrier Task Force.
Who was a veteran who was captured as a prisoner of war?
He was one of the longest-held American prisoner of war in U.S. history that was returned or captured by troops, spending nearly nine years in captivity in the forests and mountains of South Vietnam and Laos, and in North Vietnam during the Vietnam War....Floyd James ThompsonBattles/warsVietnam War10 more rows
How old was senator McCain when he died?
81 years (1936–2018)John McCain / Age at death
How many civilians died in Operation Rolling Thunder?
March 2, 1966 Rolling Thunder ended in November of 1968, having lost over 900 American aircraft and 818 pilots, either dead or missing. By U. S. estimates, some 182,000 North Vietnamese civilians died.
When were the Vietnam POWs released?
1973American POWs in North Vietnam were released in early 1973 as part of Operation Homecoming, the result of diplomatic negotiations concluding U.S. military involvement in Vietnam. On February 12, 1973, the first of 591 U.S. prisoners began to be repatriated, and return flights continued until late March.
Are there any Vietnam POWs still alive?
As of 2015, more than 1,600 of those were still “unaccounted-for.” The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) of the U.S. Department of Defense lists 687 U.S. POWs as having returned alive from the Vietnam War.
Who is the most famous prisoner of war?
T. Floyd James Thompson — America's longest-held POW; he spent 9 years in POW camps in Vietnam (1964 — 1973).
How did Japan treat POWs?
The treatment of American and allied prisoners by the Japanese is one of the abiding horrors of World War II. Prisoners were routinely beaten, starved and abused and forced to work in mines and war-related factories in clear violation of the Geneva Conventions.
When did McCain run against Obama?
On November 4, 2008, McCain lost to Barack Obama in the general election, receiving 173 votes of the electoral college to Obama's 365 and gaining 46 percent of the popular vote to Obama's 53 percent.
How many times did McCain run for president?
John McCain unsuccessfully ran for president twice: John McCain 2000 presidential campaign. John McCain 2008 presidential campaign.
Where is McCain buried?
September 2, 2018John McCain / Date of burial
Midshipman
John McCain, left, stands in his United States Naval Academy uniform, next to his father, Admiral John S. McCain, Jr., in this undated file photo (ca. 1955). (AP Photo/file)
Pilot
McCain was commissioned as an ensign in the Navy and completed his early training in Florida.
Prisoner
This Oct 26 1967, file photo provided by the Library of Congress shows Navy fighter pilot John McCain, center, being captured by Vietnamese civilians in Truc Bach Lake near Hanoi Vietnam. McCain’s A-4E Skyhawk had been shot down – he landed in the lake with both of his arms and one leg broken.
After
John McCain is greeted by President Richard Nixon, left, in Washington, May 25, 1973. McCain spent more than five years in a Vietnamese prisoner of war camp before he was released in March of 1973. (AP Photo/Harvey Georges)
Politics
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., holds up an article from the Washington Times on Capitol Hill, June 24, 1992, during a hearing of the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., chairman of the committee said during that as many as 133 U.S. servicemen may have been left behind in captivity when the Vietnam War ended.
Retirement
John McCain, R-Ariz shown Friday, Jan. 11, 1985 in his Capitol Hill office holds a photo of a monument that the Vietnamese have erected in Hanoi in regard to his capture there during the Vietnam War. McCain will return to Vietnam to take part in a special telecast for the 10th anniversary of the fall of Saigon. (AP Photo/John Duricka)
What did John McCain admit to?
In the article, McCain admits that he--like many POWs--confessed to war crimes under physical and emotional duress.
What is Willbanks' job?
Willbanks has a paying job, as a bus driver for the City of Mesa. But he was recently reassigned to drive an adult day-care van. He's excited about it; the older people will want to talk about war history, and he can give them packets of information he keeps on McCain. He's already given out 15 or so.
Where does Craig Willbanks live?
The senator probably has never heard of this hunched-over, soft-spoken fellow who served two tours of duty in Vietnam as an Army combat engineer and now lives in a run-down apartment in Mesa. Craig Willbanks is obsessed with John McCain, and he is not alone.
Which state has the highest new infections?
The spiking cases mirror a nationwide uptick in new infections, though Arizona is reporting some of the highest new infection rates in the nation, only coming behind states like Florida, Missouri, and Alabama, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows.
Is there proof that Americans are still in Southeast Asia?
McCain has long contended that there is no proof that live Americans remain in Southeast Asia. The Hoppers have gathered a motley crew of local Vietnam veterans and POW/MIA family members to assist in their crusade against McCain, and have hooked up with like-minded vets and POW kin across the country.
Who is Amy Silverman?
Amy Silverman is a two-time winner of the Arizona Press Club’s Journalist of the Year award . Her work has appeared on the radio show This American Life and in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Lenny Letter, and Brain, Child.
Who is Stanley Kutler?
Stanley Kutler, professor of law at the University of Wisconsin and editor of The Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War, calls the behavior of these people "Sick. If it weren't so sick, it would be laughable. These are not nice people. They are the other side in an ongoing uncivil Civil War in America.
Why did John McCain spend 5 years in Hoa Lo?
Somehow, John McCain gutted it out, survived. He spent five years in Hoa Lo for refusing to cooperate with his country's enemy. He would never again be able to lift either arm above his shoulders. But he became one of the inspirational leaders of the hundreds of POWs who made it through.
What is the name of the prison where the American prisoners were sent to?
He was in the worst physical condition of any of the hundreds of Americans sent to Hanoi's Hoa Lo prison – the words Hoa Lo translate into "fiery furnace.". Its American guests dubbed it "The Hanoi Hilton.". It wasn't much like a Hilton.
Why is John McCain called a loser?
He says John McCain is no hero, that all he did in Vietnam was to get captured, and called him a "loser" because he failed to win the Presidency of the United States in 2008. On October 26, 1967, McCain's A4 Skyhawk was hit by a North Vietnamese surface-to air-missile and was upside down and out of control by the time he was able to eject ...
What was Hanoi's propaganda strategy?
By this time, Hanoi's propaganda tactics included the occasional release of American captives who had agreed to go home and speak well of Hanoi's "humane" and "lenient" treatment. When Hanoi learned the identity of McCain's father they crowed, "We have the crown prince!".
Who is the Republican senator who peeps through the prison cell door?
Vietnam war veteran and former Republican presidential frontrunner, Senator John McCain of Arizona peeps through a hole in a prison cell door at the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" jail. Reuters.
Who is John Hubbell?
John Hubbell, a roving editor at Reader's Digest, is the author of P.O.W.: A Definitive History of the American Prisoner-of-War Experience in Vietnam, 1964-1973. Request Reprint & Licensing, Submit Correction or view Editorial Guidelines.
Does the Geneva Convention require prisoners of war?
The Geneva Convention requires nothing more of prisoners of war, and that is all that the U.S. Code of Conduct allows of its own military if captured, or requires of any prisoners it takes.
How long was John McCain in prison?
McCain was taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese (with fractures in his right leg and both arms, for which he received minimal care) and spent the next five-plus years enduring torture and brutality as a POW before being released following the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in early 1973.
What was John McCain's background?
Origin. Arizona senator John McCain’s background of service to his country is well-known: A U.S. Navy pilot during the Vietnam War, Lieut . Commander McCain was shot down in his Skyhawk dive bomber while flying a mission over Hanoi, North Vietnam on 26 October 1967. McCain was taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese ...
What did John McCain do on October 26th?
Three months later, on October 26, McCain takes off on his 23bombing run over North Vietnam, reportedly on a mission to destroy Hanoi’s thermal power plant. Just as he releases his bombs over the target, a Russian-made surface-to-air missile, described as looking like “a flying telephone pole,” strikes his plane, ripping off its right wing. McCain ejects, breaking both arms and one knee, and parachutes into a shallow lake.
What happened in July 1967?
July 1967: The deadly Forrestal fire. On the morning of July 29, 1967, McCain has another brush with death. As he awaits his turn for takeoff from the USS Forrestal, for a bombing run over North Vietnam, another plane accidentally fires a missile.
How long did John McCain stay in solitary confinement?
He won’t enjoy the camaraderie for long, however; in April 1968, he’s put into solitary confinement, where he’ll stay for the next two years.
How many siblings does John McCain have?
McCain and his two siblings, an older sister and a younger brother, move frequently, following the trail of their father’s military career. He attends some 20 different schools by age 18, according to USA Today ’s later count.
How long did John McCain live in Arizona?
When John McCain made his first bid for public office in 1982, running for a House seat in Arizona, critics blasted him as a carpetbagger, pointing out that he’d only lived in the state for 18 months. “Listen, pal, I spent 22 years in the Navy,” the exasperated candidate reportedly shot back at one event. Then, after explaining that career military ...
What was John McCain's reputation?
In both his military and political careers, McCain earned a reputation for being feisty and combative.
When did John McCain retire from the Navy?
The job marked “my real entry into the world of politics and the beginning of my second career as a public servant,” he later recalls. In 1981 , McCain retires from the Navy with the rank of captain. His decorations include, among others, a Silver Star, three Bronze Stars and a Distinguished Flying Cross.
How did John McCain get knocked unconscious?
On that gray morning more than 32 years ago, McCain was knocked unconscious briefly when he ejected from his damaged bomber. Both his arms were broken, his right knee was shattered, and when he splashed into the middle of Truc Bach (White Silk) Lake, his 50 pounds of flight gear kept him from reaching the surface.
Is bombing a light bulb factory a war crime?
Bombing a light-bulb factory, a civilian target, is a war crime. McCain, obviously, didn’t select the target, he was just following orders, but that doesn’t exonerate him any more than any other soldier who follows an illegal order.
Did John McCain support the bombing of Iraq?
McCain, and the entire U.S. political and military establishment, also supported the wholesale bombing of Iraq’s water purification plants during the first Gulf War. And this was no ordinary war crime, it was a planned genocide.
Midshipman
Pilot
- McCain was commissioned as an ensign in the Navy and completed his early training in Florida. Full military enlistment didn’t conquer his rebellious spirit. He drove a Corvette, dated an exotic dancer and, in his words, “generally misused my good health and youth.” He met his first wife, swimwear and runway model Carol Shepp, while training in Pensacola. By the time McCain saile…
War
- The young aviator went to war in southeast Asia when he a 30-year-old lieutenant commander. He bombed arms depots, factories and bridges as part of Operation Rolling Thunder. He later wrotethat: McCain was nearly killed in 1967, but he wasn’t flying. A rocket was accidentally fired across the Forrestal’s deck and hit either McCain’s plane or the one next to it. He escapedthe su…
Prisoner
- One day after his daring attack on Phuc Yen, McCain was shot down immediately after bombing the Yen Phu power plant. He was able to bail out of the plane, which was in a vertical inverted spin. The force of the ejection broke both his arms, his right leg and left him unconscious. He nearly drowned in a lake but was able to use his teethto inflate his life vest. After he was dragge…
After
- McCain became somewhat of a celebritywhen he returned to the United States and was a frequent dinner guest of then-California Gov. Ronald Reagan. He had several surgeries and underwent physical therapy to help repair the damage done by both battle and his captors. He was made a commander and, in 1974, took over the Replacement Air Group VA-174 in J...
Politics
- McCain began to take an intense interest in politics in the late 1970s and worked to support Reagan’s presidential run. After his time with VA-174 ended, he took a job in the Senate Liaison Office within the Navy’s Office of Legislative Affairs, a job once held by his father. McCain consideredthe job his “real entry into the world of politics and the beginning of my second caree…
Retirement
- McCain officially left the Navy in April 1981. He had not been given a major sea command and was physically unable to pass required flight tests. He was told he was on track to be a one-star rear admiral but felt he could do morein politics. He did not see himself moving much further up the ranks and was excited to start his new career that would lead to decades in the Senate, a ru…