Posted on 04/29/2008 10:07:11 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
It came to me while I was having dinner with Doris Day. No, not that Doris Day. The Doris Day who is married to Col. Bud Day, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, fighter pilot, Vietnam POW and roommate of John McCain at the Hanoi Hilton.
As we ate near the Days' home in Florida recently, I heard things about Sen. McCain that were deeply moving and politically troubling. Moving because they told me things about him the American people need to know. And troubling because it is clear that Mr. McCain is one of the most private individuals to run for president in history.
When it comes to choosing a president, the American people want to know more about a candidate than policy positions. They want to know about character, the values ingrained in his heart. For Mr. McCain, that means they will want to know more about him personally than he has been willing to reveal.
Mr. Day relayed to me one of the stories Americans should hear. It involves what happened to him after escaping from a North Vietnamese prison during the war. When he was recaptured, a Vietnamese captor broke his arm and said, "I told you I would make you a cripple."
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
And thank you for writing it up so succinctly. People MUST be reminded of McCain's record in politics!
You have 4 options.
Articles like that are like the spoonful of sugar I need to make the medicine of voting for McCain go down.
It's not going to be easy, but I know I have to swallow it.
I opposed McCain right up until it was him vs. Huckabee...but I’m behind him 100% now because we need a man like him in a time of war. I’d also like to add that any guy whose character is revered by Bud Day is good enough for me.
This screed is by Karl Rove.
You know, the political genius who thought the Swifties were nutjobs.
Now, he trots out fellow POWs to portray McLoser in heroic terms.
Why doesn’t Karl ask McCain why he and Kerry shut down the POW/MIA investigations in 1992?
Others have listed the reasons why John McCain is the poorest candidate we could run for President. His agenda is the same as the Dems.
All the McCain Kool Aid drinkers are going to be very disappointed on November 5th.
One, because McCain will not win, and two, if he does he will do the opposite of what he says he will do. Amnesty will be passed, carbon credits a given,and Ted Kennedy will be consulted on all judgeships.
He has telegraphed exactly how he will govern.
There are none so blind as those who will not see.
There are four months to the Republican Convention. There are four months to get a real Republican to run for President instead of this Trojan Horse Manchurian Candidate.
I was depressed when McCain became our nominee..It’s a no brainer, though, after much thought ..I will vote for McCain.
Either of the Dim candidates are horrifying to me.
Exactly: Here is some info on Bud Day:
George Everett “Bud” Day (born February 24, 1925) is a former U.S. Air Force pilot who served during the Vietnam War. He is often cited as being the most decorated U.S. service member since General Douglas MacArthur, having received some seventy decorations, a majority for actions in combat. Day is a recipient of the Medal of Honor.
Day was born in Sioux City, Iowa, on February 24, 1925. In 1942 he quit high school and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He served thirty months in the South Pacific during World War II as a member of a 5-inch gun battery with the 3rd Defense Battalion on Johnston Island.
After the war, Day attended Morningside College on the G.I. Bill, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree, followed by law school at the University of South Dakota, receiving a Juris Doctor. Day passed the bar exam in 1949 and was admitted to the South Dakota bar. In later life Day was also awarded a Master of Arts degree from St. Louis University, a Doctor of Humane Letters from Morningside, and a Doctor of Laws from Troy State University. Day was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1977.
A member of the Army reserve, in 1950 he received a direct commission as a second lieutenant in the Iowa Air National Guard, and was called to active duty in 1951 to undertake pilot training. He served two tours as a fighter-bomber pilot during the Korean War flying the Republic F-84 Thunderjet. Promoted to captain, he decided to make the Air Force a career.
Anticipating retirement in 1968 and now a major, Day volunteered for a tour in Vietnam was assigned to the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing at Tuy Hoa Air Base in April 1967. At that time he had more than 5,000 flying hours, with 4,500 of them in fighters. On June 25, 1967, with extensive previous service flying two tours in F-100 Super Sabres he was made commander of Detachment 1, 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron, based at Phu Cat Air Base. Using the call sign Misty, the name of Day’s favorite song, his detachment of 4 two-seat F-100’s and 16 pilots became pioneer “Fast FACs”: Forward Air Controllers over Laos and North Vietnam.
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Colonel (then Major), U.S. Air Force, Forward Air Controller Pilot of an F-100 aircraft. Place and date: North Vietnam, 26 August 1967. Entered service at: Sioux City, Iowa. Born: 24 February 1925, Sioux City, Iowa. Citation: On 26 August 1967, Col. Day was forced to eject from his aircraft over North Vietnam when it was hit by ground fire. His right arm was broken in 3 places, and his left knee was badly sprained. He was immediately captured by hostile forces and taken to a prison camp where he was interrogated and severely tortured. After causing the guards to relax their vigilance, Col. Day escaped into the jungle and began the trek toward South Vietnam. Despite injuries inflicted by fragments of a bomb or rocket, he continued southward surviving only on a few berries and uncooked frogs. He successfully evaded enemy patrols and reached the Ben Hai River, where he encountered U.S. artillery barrages. With the aid of a bamboo log float, Col. Day swam across the river and entered the demilitarized zone. Due to delirium, he lost his sense of direction and wandered aimlessly for several days. After several unsuccessful attempts to signal U.S. aircraft, he was ambushed and recaptured by the Viet Cong, sustaining gunshot wounds to his left hand and thigh. He was returned to the prison from which he had escaped and later was moved to Hanoi after giving his captors false information to questions put before him. Physically, Col. Day was totally debilitated and unable to perform even the simplest task for himself. Despite his many injuries, he continued to offer maximum resistance. His personal bravery in the face of deadly enemy pressure was significant in saving the lives of fellow aviators who were still flying against the enemy. Col. Day’s conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Armed Forces.
Awards
Medal of Honor
Air Force Cross
Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star (4)
Purple Heart
Air Medal (10)
Prisoner of War Medal
What a lot of people—even some Vietnam Vets—don’t understand is how horrific the torture techniques were in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. There were guys who didn’t break—Day, and Jim Stockdale—but holding out completely can legitimately be said to be beyond human endurance.
A Vietnam vet of my acquaintance told me he’ll never vote for McCain because of the confession, and I said, “I’m going to sound like a punk telling you this because you were fighting Charlie when I was in diapers, but you cannot know what those pilots went through. It is literally too horrific for you and I to comprehend.”
Citation?
They lack substance to you because you are among the timid souls who failed to serve.
It’s been awhile since I read up on Arnold, but I seem to recall that his bravery was almost alone on his list of good qualities.
Awesome, in the classical meaning of the word.
You make good points...so the deciding factor should be the one reflected in my tagline.
John McCain’s awards. Scumbags on here and elsewhere will claim that he was a fraud, a scoundrel and even a bad aviator. This tells a different story...
Awards
Silver Star
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star
Purple Heart
Prisoner of War Medal
His name is from a Muslim dad..It’s so much more than his name that scares me about him..The more I learn ..the more I fear for this nation should he become President...I always thought Hillary was my biggest nightmare til now.
Either will make it easier to pull the lever for McCain.
Garbage,
Serving has nothing to do with it.
His position on the issues is what counts.
Remember, that was 35+ years ago and he has changed dramatically since his early years in the Senat.
As a veteran, I wasn’t offended by Dick’s comment at all. the military’s high level officers (and McCain is a third generation high-level military officer) tend to look for centralized solutions...it’s the nature of the beast.
The suckup company clerk where I was in VietNam, who was never in harms way got a bronze star.
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