Reading about the Vietnam War as a teenager, I came across the following photo.
Then I learned about the man in the photo.
I learned that John McCain was a U.S. naval aviator (among the most elite of all U.S. military specialities), who was shot down over Hanoi, North Vietnam, in 1967.
My father then told me about McCain’s family. His father and grandfather were 4-star admirals in the U.S. Navy and served in combat in World War II. Incidentally, McCain’s grandfather commanded the navy task force at the Battle of Okinawa (my grandfather was a Marine on that assault).
But then I returned to the photo.
I learned that McCain was badly wounded in his crash, and then denied sufficient medical treatment. He nearly died. But during his stay, McCain was interviewed by a French journalist. A video of the interview shows a distressed McCain being asked inane questions about his family. What would follow, however, was far worse.
The North Vietnamese realized that McCain was the son of a high ranking admiral and decided to release him for propaganda reasons.
But McCain refused on the principle that U.S. prisoners of war would be released in order of when they were first captured. This infuriated McCain’s captors, leading him to suffer years of brutal torture.
By the time he was released in 1973, he had spent nearly six years in prison. Two of those years were in solitary confinement.
He returned home with honor, having endured the most trying of circumstances.
Since then, of course, John McCain has made his name serving in the U.S. Senate. There, he has won the respect of fellow senators across the spectrum.
But McCain’s true strength has been his sense of fidelity to the nation. Whether he’s challenging cronyism, passing legislation, scrutinizing government failures, or advancing policies that support alliances for peace, McCain puts America first.
Around the world he is seen by America’s closest allies as the foremost of statesmen, as someone who can be trusted to put shared interests before self-advancement. As a leader who doesn’t fall for Putin’s dangles.
Now that McCain has brain cancer, some are wondering what the future may hold.
I, however, have little doubt.
As long as he can, McCain will be a warrior against cancer. It’s in the blood of this warrior for the republic.
