Senator John McCain passed away on August 25, 2018. He was 81.
He was a Naval Officer. He was also a Senator from 1987 until his death. He was the Republican Party’s candidate for the President of the United States in 2008 and lost the election to Barrack Obama.
He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1958. Both his father and grand father were 4 star Admirals in the U.S. Navy. He was a naval aviator.
While McCain was on a mission in Vietnam in 1967 bombing Hanoi, his plane was shot down and was captured by the North Vietnamese. He was seriously injured at that time. He was a POW (Prisoner of War).
The North Vietnamese came to know he is the son of the Chief of U.S. Navy. They then offered him to release and return him to the United States immediately unharmed. But the young John McCain refused and said he will stay with the other POWs.
The North Vietnamese took that gesture as McCain was a headstrong and wanted to teach him a lesson. He was subjected to the most brutal punishment and torture for any American POW with the North Vietnamese. He was released in 1973.
After returning home McCain entered politics. He was elected Senator 5 times from 1987 to 2016. He was very independent as a Senator. He was a Republican. But disregarded the party line many times and voted with his conscience.
He was nominated as the Republican Presidential Candidate in 2008 against Barrack Obama and lost the election.
John McCain served his country very well. May he rest in peace.
