Sen. John McCain says “the honor” of his life was serving alongside the heroes in Vietnam as he looks back on the 50th anniversary of the day his plane was shot down in combat.
“Hard to believe 50 years ago today my plane was shot down in Vietnam. The honor of my life was to serve in the company of heroes in Vietnam,” the veteran Republican senator tweeted Thursday.
The tweet was accompanied with a heartfelt video message from those who served alongside McCain on the battlefield and in the Hanoi prison camps, where McCain was held as prisoner of war.
Hard to believe 50 years ago today my plane was shot down in Vietnam. The honor of my life was to serve in the company of heroes in Vietnam. pic.twitter.com/UhKff5HYzP
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) October 26, 2017
McCain served as a captain in the Navy during the Vietnam War, when his plane was shot down during a bombing mission in 1967. He was held captive and tortured mercilessly by the North Vietnamese for over five years.
During his captivity, the Vietnamese offered him early release, however, he refused to leave the prison camps until all his men were released. He sustained life-altering injuries due to this heroic decision.
“I played a very, very small role in our country’s great story,” McCain said while explaining his many near-death experiences. “So I think I’m really the most fortunate person I’ve ever known or heard of. I’m truly blessed.”
