MikeLigalig.com

By Hollee Chadwick
Overview

John McCain has long been praised and vilified for his reputation as a leading defense hawk, using his seat on the Armed Services Committee and his war-hero status to advocate for a stronger military. McCain is no stereotypical hawk, however. He is quoted as saying, "War is wretched beyond description, and only a fool or a fraud could sentimentalize its cruel reality." McCain has an incredible record of leadership and experience that demonstrates his lifelong commitment to service. The son and grandson of distinguished Navy admirals, McCain's life has been devoted to duty and honor. His grandfather, Adm. John S. "Slew" McCain, commanded aircraft carriers in the Pacific during World War II. His father, Adm. John S. "Jack" McCain Jr., commanded two submarines during World War II.
History

John Sidney McCain III was born August 29, 1936, at Coco Solo Naval Air Station in Panama Canal Zone, Panama, to John and Roberta McCain. McCain attended Episcopal High, in Alexandria, Va.

In June 1954, he began his military training at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. Each year, he was in the "Century Club," made up of students with more than 100 demerits. McCain’s Academy roommate, Frank Gamboa, said: “The demerits were issued for messy quarters, unshined shoes, reporting late to formation—mostly small stuff. He and I, we got a lot of demerits. It was almost impossible not to."

McCain's grades were good in the subjects he enjoyed, such as literature and history. Gamboa said McCain would rather have read a history book than do his math homework. McCain graduated from the Naval Academy in June 1958, fifth from the bottom in class rank, 894th out of 899. He was a naval aviator in training, first at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., through September 1959, and then at the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi in Texas, and was promoted to lieutenant, junior grade.

McCain started dating Carol Shepp, in 1964, while stationed in Pensacola. The next year, the two were married in Philadelphia. He adopted Carol's two sons from a previous marriage. In 1966, their daughter, Sidney, was born. On July 29, 1967, McCain was preparing to take off on a bombing mission over North Vietnam from his ship, the USS Forrestal. A missile accidentally fired from a nearby plane and struck the fuel tanks on his plane. McCain was not injured. Although he was eligible for release from the service, McCain chose to re-enlist. He would not see his family for almost six years.

On October 26, 1967, during his 23rd bombing mission, a missile struck his plane, forcing him to eject, knocking him unconscious, and breaking both of his arms and a leg. He was taken as a prisoner of war into the "Hanoi Hilton," where he was denied necessary medical treatment and often beaten by the North Vietnamese. Much of this time was spent in solitary confinement. The Paris Peace Accords were signed on January 27, 1973, ending direct U.S. involvement in the war. McCain was released on March 14, 1973.

McCain's last Navy duty assignment was to serve as the naval liaison to the United States Senate. He retired from the Navy in 1981. His naval honors include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

On April 2, 1980, John and Carol McCain were granted a divorce. Speculative reports of infidelity on John McCain's part were denied by him in his 2002 memoir, Worth the Fighting For. McCain wrote that he had separated from Carol before he began dating Cindy Hensley, the young heiress to a lucrative Arizona beer distributorship. He wed Hensley five weeks after his divorce was final. John and Cindy McCain have three children of their own: daughter Meghan, sons John Sidney IV and James, and adopted daughter Bridget. In March 2000, McCain lost his first bid for the Republican nomination for president to George W. Bush, withdrawing from the race after losing nine of 13 primaries on Super Tuesday. He went on to serve a third and fourth Senate term. In September 2007, McCain again sought the Republican nomination. He was successful in gaining the nomination; however, he and his running mate, Governor Sarah Palin (R-Ala.), lost the election to Democrat Barack Obama.
Present Day

McCain currently serves on the following Senate Committees during the current (112th) Congress: Ranking Member on the Senate Armed Services Committee; Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; and Committee on Indian Affairs.
source: www.highbeam.com

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