John McCain: Career & Transition to Politics

• John Sidney McCain III was born on August 29, 1936, at Coco Solo Naval Air Station in the Panama Canal Zone.
• He died on August 25, 2018.
• His parents were Admiral John S. McCain, Jr., and Roberta McCain.
• His father commanded two submarines during World War II and received the Silver Star and Bronze Star.
• Significant assignments of his father after World War II include Commander, Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet, and commander in chief of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and U.S. Pacific Command.
• His paternal grandfather, Admiral John S. McCain, Sr., commanded the South Pacific Force during the 1942 Solomon Islands campaign.
• His grandfather was commander of Carrier Task Force 38.1 and saw continuous combat action during World War II.
• McCain enrolled at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and graduated in 1958.
• He graduated from flight school in 1960 as a naval aviator.
• With the outbreak of the Vietnam War, McCain was assigned to Attack Squadron (VA) 46 on board USS Forrestal (CVA-59).
• He flew his A-4 Skyhawk on bombing runs against the North Vietnamese.
• On July 29 1967, the USS Forrestal suffered a catastrophic fire during flight operations, killing 134 crewmembers.
• On October 26 1967, during his 23rd mission, McCain's plane was shot down during a bombing run over Hanoi.
• While ejecting, both of his arms were broken and his right knee shattered.
• McCain was captured by the North Vietnamese and moved to Hoa Loa Prison (nicknamed the “Hanoi Hilton”), then to a hospital, and then to a prison camp known as "The Plantation".
• During his captivity, his captors learned he was the son of a high-ranking officer and offered him an early release.
• McCain refused release, knowing the North Vietnamese would use it as propaganda, citing the military Code of Conduct.
• McCain spent five and a half years as a prisoner of war with three and a half of those years in solitary confinement.
• During his years of captivity, he was repeatedly beaten, tortured, and subjected to psychological torment.
• On March 14 1973, he was released, along with other American POWs.
• He was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Distinguished Flying Cross for his Vietnam service.
• After the war, McCain was determined to continue as a naval aviator, but lost most of his physical strength and flexibility.
• After nine months of rehabilitation, McCain returned to flying, but it became clear that his injuries had permanently impaired his ability to advance in the Navy.
• He retired from the service in 1981.
• After he retired from the Navy, McCain moved to Phoenix, Arizona, with his wife.
• While working in public relations for his father-in-law's beer distribution business, he began to make political connections.
• McCain was first elected to a political office on 2 November 1982, winning a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
• He was reelected in 1984.
• In 1986, with the retirement of Barry Goldwater, McCain won a seat on the U.S. Senate.
• He represented Arizona as a U.S. senator until his death on 25 August 2018 at age 81.
• His life's work lives on through organizations and causes, including the McCain Institute at Arizona State University and the USS John S. McCain (DDG-56).
• McCain is buried at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Explore John McCain's naval career limitations post-captivity and his transition to politics. Learn about his significant achievements and the influence of his father-in-law. Understand the circumstances of his entry into the political arena.