• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

American Hero. John Mccain 1936-2018 RIP.

raulm1961

Member
McCain-Shootdown_clip_image002.jpg
 

zoomer

Well-Known Member
Shameful internet tale going round that he caused the Forrestal disaster by shooting off his afterburner on deck. Not true!! It was a power surge that fired a rocket. McCain was hurt but not too badly to help roll bombs over the side before they could go off.
 

Cocker

Well-Known Member
Shameful internet tale going round that he caused the Forrestal disaster by shooting off his afterburner on deck. Not true!! It was a power surge that fired a rocket. McCain was hurt but not too badly to help roll bombs over the side before they could go off.

Afterburner? He was flying an A-4E, there's no afterburner on them!
 

unclegrumpy

Well-Known Member
Certinly a controversial character.

I can't disagree with you more. McCain was neither "controversial" or a "character". I think that is what set him apart from his peers. He was steadfast in his principles, but remained civil and respectful doing it. I think that transcended politics, and is why so many that disagreed with him politically called him a friend. He also was not afraid to vote his conscience...and did not care who he annoyed in the process...Republicans or Democrats.
 

Greg Gale

Well-Known Member
I can't disagree with you more. McCain was neither "controversial" or a "character". I think that is what set him apart from his peers. He was steadfast in his principles, but remained civil and respectful doing it. I think that transcended politics, and is why so many that disagreed with him politically called him a friend. He also was not afraid to vote his conscience...and did not care who he annoyed in the process...Republicans or Democrats.

This is what I respect about him the most. Quite a man, he was. Blue skies to him!
 

Cocker

Well-Known Member

Read a bit about it after these posts, they are not talking about afterburners, but about a wet start. While this is way more realistic in the technical sense, I can barely imagine A. Someone doing it on a carrier deck on purpose B. This leading to such consequences C. Not having been told earlier.
 

Grant

Well-Known Member
I can't disagree with you more. McCain was neither "controversial" or a "character". I think that is what set him apart from his peers. He was steadfast in his principles, but remained civil and respectful doing it. I think that transcended politics, and is why so many that disagreed with him politically called him a friend. He also was not afraid to vote his conscience...and did not care who he annoyed in the process...Republicans or Democrats.

Well put uncle, couldn't agree with you more.
 

Officer Dibley

Well-Known Member
I can't disagree with you more. McCain was neither "controversial" or a "character". I think that is what set him apart from his peers. He was steadfast in his principles, but remained civil and respectful doing it. I think that transcended politics, and is why so many that disagreed with him politically called him a friend. He also was not afraid to vote his conscience...and did not care who he annoyed in the process...Republicans or Democrats.

Good for you !
Can't say your disagreeing with me makes my opinion any more right or wrong than yours. Nor will your disagreeing change my opinion of you as a fellow jacket enthusiast or keep me awake tonight. Nor will i discuss this further. Happy Monday !
 
Last edited:

unclegrumpy

Well-Known Member
I think politics and politicians are difficult to discuss, especially if they are not from your country. It is hard even in your own country when opinions can be shaped by the news you get and who is reporting it. That cuts both ways on the political spectrum, and I think gets more complicated when it is seen through the perspective of another country's news media.

That said, McCain is someone I think we would be talking about even if he never stepped foot into politics. Just like so many that served, I think he is someone who's actions make one pause and think....and consider, "what would I have done, and could I have done that?".

In McCain's case, the starting point for these citations was being blown out of the sky, and landing in a lake in Hanoi with broken legs, a broken arm, and a host of other injuries...helplessly surrounded by the North Vietnamese:

Silver Star
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING Vietnam War
Service: Navy
Rank: Commander
Division: Prisoner of War
GENERAL ORDERS:


CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Commander John Sidney McCain, III (NSN: 0-624787), United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while interned as Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from 27 October to 8 December 1967. Commander McCain's captors, completely ignoring international agreements, subjected Commander McCain to extreme mental and physical cruelties in an attempt to obtain military information and false confessions for propaganda purposes. Through his resistance to those brutalities, he contributed significantly toward the eventual abandonment of harsh treatment by the North Vietnamese, which was attracting international attention. By his determination, courage, resourcefulness, and devotion to duty, Commander McCain reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of Naval Service and the United States Armed Forces.

Legion of Merit
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING Vietnam War
Service: Navy
Division: Prisoner of War (North Vietnam)
GENERAL ORDERS:


CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" to Commander John Sidney McCain, III (NSN: 0-624787), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States while interned as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from October 1967 to March 1973. Under the most adverse of conditions, he resisted all attempts by the North Vietnamese to use him in causes detrimental to the United States, never wavering in his devotion and loyalty to the United States. In an outstanding and tireless fashion, he served as Chaplain wherein he provided spiritual guidance, instilled constructive rehabilitative thinking and conducted religious services for the benefit of the other prisoners during their long internment. In addition, he served as an educator to provide diversion and constructive rehabilitative thinking to his fellow prisoners. Despite the lack of material aids, he devoted long hours toward improving their morale and well-being. His extraordinary skill, resourcefulness, and dedication to duty throughout this lengthy confinement reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Naval Service and the United States Armed Forces. (Commander McCain is authorized to wear the Combat "V".)
 

Stony

Well-Known Member
I've read a book about McCain and his time up through his release from the Hanoi Hilton and it's quite a good read. I also like that he stood up for what he thought was right, per Uncle's post, "no matter what party lines he crossed". His type of politician is rare and we need more like him.
 

Teddy

Well-Known Member
@airfrogusmc Totally agree with you. When McCain was running for presidency I was 120% a Democrat and said mean things about McCain. Only recently did I realize how shallow and ignorant I was about his character and his stories. My respect for him grew as my respect for No. 44 declined over the past 2 terms.

Country over party. Country over family brand. Country over self-interest. How I wish it were he who is leading GOP, America, and the western world right now. Even his funeral is so full of dignity and pride, impactful and uniting.

Perhaps American politics had always been polarized, but not to such a degree that self promotion, inappropriate behaviors, and lack of competency are tolerated because of partisan interests. Gone now is not only McCain's GOP, Reagan's GOP, but also Theodore Roosevelt's GOP and Lincoln's GOP. How they betray these men's visions and values.

In McCain's death we lost a generation, but in his well-orchestrated funeral, perhaps American was reminded, if only for a brief moment, of the idea of hope, optimism, confidence, moral compass, and, above all, a united land that define what America was and will be.

I got too emotional about it. Watching news these days pain me how parties, congressmen, and national leaders can degenerate to such a degree that it makes the rest of the world befuddled, amused, and annoyed.
 

unclegrumpy

Well-Known Member
@airfrogusmc Totally agree with you. When McCain was running for presidency I was 120% a Democrat and said mean things about McCain. Only recently did I realize how shallow and ignorant I was about his character and his stories. My respect for him grew as my respect for No. 44 declined over the past 2 terms.

Probably should not make this comment, because it is about politics, but McCain was more himself when he ran for the presidency the first time...and almost beat George Bush II in the primaries. The Republicans were the ones that threw him under the bus that time, with a very nasty and totally false smear campaign...largely centered around the claim that he fathered an illegitimate black child. He had an adopted daughter from Bangladesh with dark skin that was with him often at campaign events, so the political evildoers spun her into something...amazing how low and hurtful people can be....this was probably one of the lowest points in American politics in the last 100 years.

The second time against Obama he had to ally himself with the people that took him down eight years before...those compromises hurt him, because he was less himself. The match up was not very favorable for him either, because people wanted something other than another older white guy....one somewhat clearly starting to fade, as compared to his opponent who was clearly on the rise...an attribute that was able to transcend the political differences with more than enough voters.

Trying to be politically neutral here. Most interesting I think is how close McCain was in 2000 to winning his parties nomination....though who knows if he would have won in November...that was the year of the hanging chads and a very very close race...
 
Top