Records shed light on career of McCain's father

AP via SFGate ^ | 5/30/8 | LIBBY QUAID, Associated Press Writer

[SmithL]

WASHINGTON - As John S. McCain Jr. started down the road toward four-star admiral, he hit a bump. ADVERTISEMENT

McCain, the father of presidential candidate John McCain, was smitten by a pretty blond coed, Roberta Wright. The 22-year-old ensign left his ship, without permission, to elope.

"Showed lack of judgment," his commanding officer concluded. "He might have readily obtained such permission to get married." McCain was suspended for five days.

This youthful indiscretion went into McCain's military personnel file, a 4-inch-thick stack of documents released to The Associated Press under the Freedom of Information Act.

McCain apologized for his infraction, writing, "I contacted a messmate and asked him to inform my division officer as to my intentions and that I would be absent from quarters the next morning."

"This method was irregular but the urgency of the situation and the absolute secrecy necessary made this seem the only solution at the time," he wrote. "I thoroughly realize that the manner in which I handled the situation was wrong and I would like to say that it will never occur again."

The papers show that McCain's path quickly straightened out, and he went on to earn the same four-star rank as his illustrious father, Adm. John S. "Slew" McCain Sr.

But first, McCain had to get through the stress of submarine training and the early years of his marriage. A fitness report in 1934 said he was high-strung and underweight — so underweight, he was being treated for weight loss at Pearl Harbor Naval Hospital. "It is thought that with added experience in submarines more self-confidence will result eliminating the noticeable nervousness that is evident," his commanding officer wrote.

In fact, McCain blamed his new wife's cooking, or lack of it, for the weight loss. "My wife doesn't know how to cook, and my meals are very irregular," McCain wrote in response to his fitness report. (This response does not appear in the documents released by the Navy, but Slew McCain obtained a copy and, much amused, kept it to show friends, according to the 1999 book "Faith of My Fathers," written by John S. McCain III, the presidential candidate.)

McCain's wife, Roberta, quickly became a "charming" and "wonderful" asset to her husband's career, his superiors wrote. At age 96, she is a spirited campaigner for her son, an example of longevity he uses when challenged about his own age, 71.

McCain, like his father and later his son, had been in his share of trouble at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., graduating 18th from the bottom of his class. Then in Submarine School, he stood No. 28 in a class of 29.

But while McCain was not afraid to break rules, he seemed very anxious to succeed, a desire that impressed his superiors. "This officer is extremely tactful and loyal," Lt. Herman Sall wrote in a September 1934 fitness report. "His military duties are done in a highly satisfactory manner. He is in all aspects qualified for promotion. He exhibits a varying degree of nervousness which should be lost with increase of age and experience."

This is the last reference to any sign of nervousness in the newly released documents; subsequent fitness reports were ever more glowing, noting his interest in new submarine tactics as the United States entered World War II.

"His zeal in the investigation and development of new submarine tactics and weapons has been outstanding," Lt. Cmdr. R.M. Peacher wrote in 1944 after McCain had won the Silver Star as commander of the USS Gunnel.

Aside from military skill, McCain was known for his personality and sociability, important traits in the insular world of the Navy.

"There is only one Jack McCain!" Adm. H.P. Smith wrote in 1965. "Vice Admiral McCain, by his enthusiasm, honesty and delightful personality makes many friends, not only officially but socially. He is energetic and enthusiastic in all his undertakings. The 'little man with the big cigar' is known to everyone."

While the documents help to sketch a picture of the man, they are notable for what is omitted.

Missing from the documents is any reference to McCain's drinking. His son, the presidential candidate, has written that his father drank too much. "He didn't drink at work, and was never completely incapacitated by his weakness," McCain wrote in "Faith of My Fathers." "But he would often ease his way into social settings by drinking too much. And, as with most people, drinking changed his personality in unattractive ways. When he was drunk, I did not recognize him."

Also missing is any reference to his Navy fighter pilot son, not even when he was shot down over Hanoi and taken prisoner in October 1967. A fitness report that year, before his son's capture, notes McCain's "boundless energy," his promotion to the rank of admiral and his appointment to commander in chief of U.S. naval forces in Europe.

That the papers are silent about his son seems in keeping with a stoicism his son has described. In "Faith of My Fathers," McCain wrote that his parents were in London, dressing for a dinner party, when they got word their son had been shot down; the Navy didn't think he had survived.

"My father informed my mother of what had happened," he wrote in the book. "They kept their dinner engagement, never mentioning to any of the other guests the distressing news they had just learned."

[SmithL]

- This Sept. 2, 1945 black-and-white file photo provided by the McCain Presidential Campaign shows Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain's father and grandfather on the bridge of the submarine tender USS Proteus, in Tokyo Bay a few hours after WWII had ended. It was the last time father and son saw each other. The son was 34 and a submarine commander. His crew had just brought a surrendered Japanese sub into the bar. His father had just relinquished command of a carrier task force and had attended the signing of the Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri that morning. He died of a heart attack several days later.

[ZULU]

AP running interference for its chosen man - Obama Hussein.

Expect more mainstream media drive-by shootings to try and get their pro-Muslim Commie friend in the White House.

[Retired Greyhound]

McCain may be a huge pain in the butt, but he is from an awesome family.

[dforest]

Hey AP, I have no interest in McCain’s Dad, unless he was Jack the Ripper.

[cjshapi]

I’m not thrilled with McCain as a presidential candidate but there is no denying this family’s dedication to serving their country.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

This was a really nice write up that solidifies the idea that McCain comes from a long line of men dedicated to the U.S.

[KansasGirl]

Why don’t they do a story on Barack Hussein’s Dad?

[EagleUSA]

Expect more mainstream media drive-by shootings to try and get their pro-Muslim Commie friend in the White House.
:::::
Standard modus operandi. Let us hope that the filthy campaign that the MSM will run for the radical commie left will put them under.

[Oldexpat]

If the press can get McCain’s records from the Navy..how come we can’t get Kerry’s?

[contemplator]

This article just reaffirms that McCain comes from a solid military family to be proud of. If the worst they can come up with is that he had one minor offense when he was in his early 20’s and that the records do not mention alcohol. Why would his use of alcohol appear in the records anyway? Evaluations typically concern themselves with what someone does ON duty, not OFF duty.

It takes a rare type of drive and personality to achieve 4 stars in any branch and that his family did this repeatedly is amazing. This article tells me that he comes from a family which nurtures the right types of qualities it takes to be a successful leader at the highest echelons.

[colorado tanker]

True, this is a backfire from the MSM that just underscores McCain's distinguished family background of military service.

Still, it's pretty scummy to flyspeck Junior's record to try to find any dirt. He made four stars despite low class rank and a slow start, which tells me he worked his butt off and was a damn fine officer.

[unkus]

Maybe this kind of “attack” will get Johnny riled up and realize the MSM is not his friend.

[SQUID]

McCain is indeed from a great family but without his great family he would be tending bar at a local DC pub with a pack of cigs rolled up in his sleeve.

He barely passed in school and barley passed as a pilot and if it wasn't for his father he would have never sat in a cockpit of an airplane.

I hope his presidency isn't going to be like his school performance. Frankly I'm astounded that a party of esteemed intellectuals have chosen such a man.

[lakeman]

This thread is useless without pics of the pretty blond coed, Roberta .

[84rules]

This is news? Senator McCain wrote Faith Of My Fathers back in 1999 and told this very same story. I wonder why it took the Associated Press so long to get wind of it.

[Doohickey]

So what’s the bottom line here? That the McCains are human? Gosh, we can’t have any of that!

Parenthetically, when are we going to see John “Frickin’” Kerry’s service record?

[litehaus]

I wonder why it took the Associated Press so long to get wind of it.

Thatsa joke, right?

[CPOSharky]

This is the second article in as many days using the word “suspended” in reference to a military person.

What the heck does it mean? (Other than dumba$$ writers.)

[Rodentking]

Obama’s dad? You mean the one he said liberated Auschwitz?

[onedoug]

What I'm really interested in is whether Obama was actually born in the US. There was a post a couple of days ago that suggested he was born in Kenya and spirited to Hawaii where the family was able to get a birth certificate.

Granted, if this is true it would seem Hillary would have been all over it. But also if true, it would immediately disqualify him to run for President.