Yes... and, according to some, he was busy causing the deadly disaster through deliberate recklessness... which was then covered up thanks to his familial Admirals.
Stop right now. I dislike McCain as much as anyone, but let’s give it to him for what he deserves. He has nothing at all to do with the fire on the Forrestal.
So just stop with it, okay?
A stray Zuni rocket misfire from another aircraft struck McCain’s aircraft while he was prepping his aircraft. I dislike McCain too, but I can’t lay this one on him.
We call those people idiots and liars.
When we're feeling euphemistic ...
Anyone who thinks John McCain, sitting in his A4 Skyhawk prepping it for flight, had anything to do with an electrical fault on an F4 Phantom on the other side of the deck is delusional. Or lying. Or a moron.
My promised article concerning McCain and the USS Forrestal(CV-59) Fire
post by FReeper dunblak who "was the Public Affairs Officer for RAdm Harvey Lanham and was on the Forrestal’s flag bridge for much of the day, ..." the day being the day of the fire.
This is likely one of the most regularly investigated rumors and folklore about McCain's role in the fire. The errant missile was launched starboard aft from a plane facing port forward into McCain's area. The missile crossed to port side {width of the flightdeck} forward into McCain's and another pilot CMDR White IIRC aircraft. All of this happened aft of the aft catapults. The flightdeck activity up to, during, and after the fire is on film several cameras which would show positioning {spotting} of aircraft which was determined by one several ranks above him before the fire. Once it hit McCain got out and tried to save Commander White IIRC and then dove into the catwalk and into the ship. That would be protocol as well. No wrong done.
Every enlistee and every sailor will likely see that footage every single time they go to Fire Fighting School or in Damage Control Training.
I was a horrid fire and many heros whom mainly dues to miscommunications {lacking of} and limited at that time equipment made some critical errors even in acts of valor. That fire changed Navy Firefighting Protocols and fire fighting equipment systems including the installation of HI-CAPP stations on carriers flightdecks and hanger bays to instantly foam the decks in event of fire. These guys were doing that manually which required a bucket brigade for the buckets of foam.
I dislike McCain's political antics and pretty much dislike him as a person but he had nothing to do with the cause of that fire as it was impossible. WIKI the fire and look at the aircraft spotting chart where what planes were placed where. There were several major fires 3 I think on carriers within an 18 month time frame. There was no cover up and the raw footage shows it. How can there be a cover up when hundreds of thousands have seen the evidence saying otherwise? The Air Boss and the Aviation Bosuns determine plane spotting and launch order not the pilot.