Posted on 08/28/2008 2:46:46 PM PDT by jessduntno
John McCain's Imprisonment in Vietnam: A True Tale of Heroism
James Ray
Have you ever heard the whole account of John McCain's imprisonment during the Vietnam War? Until recently, I was only aware of the general story; I didn't know the details. But I recently read a couple of pieces on McCain's capture, imprisonment and torture by the North Vietnamese, and it blew me away. Not since Ernest Shackleton's cursed journey to the South Pole have I heard a tale of such courage, mental toughness and physical endurance.
The Young John McCain
The Crash and Capture In October of 1967, McCain was flying a mission over Hanoi in his A-4 Skyhawk plane, when his craft was hit with enemy fire. With his plane going down in flames, McCain ejected his seat and his body from the cockpit of plane, but in the process he broke both of his arms and one leg. He also suffered a severe concussion, which must have made it even harder for him to find and pull his chute. But he did. With two broken arms and cracked noggin, falling towards the North Vietnamese soldiers who had just shot his airplane out from under him, this guy somehow had the wherewithal to pull his cute and keep himself alive.
He landed hard in a pond in downtown Hanoi and was immediately set upon by North Vietnamese soldiers. One bayoneted McCain in the groin. Another broke his shoulder with the butt of a rifle. The attack also further compounded his leg fracture; his tibia was now sticking out of his leg at a ninety-degree angle.
His broken body was thown into back of a jeep, and McCain was taken to the Hoa Lo prison, also kown as "The Hanoi Hilton." From all of the accounts of American POWs who were trapped in this place, it sounds like the Hilton was the worst, shittiest prison on earth.
Shortly after being brought in, a doctor who was either incompetent or simply cruel set two of McCain's fractures without anaesthesia and then refused to set the other two. McCain was then beaten and tortured for several days. Among other horrors that he endured, his arms were bound together behind hi back and he was lifted off the ground in medieval torture style. After more than anyone could possibly be expected to endure, McCain was put into a prison cell and left there, for a long time.
The Offer To Be Set Free Over the months, his weight dropped to about 100 pounds. Other POWs thought he would die for sure. But he didn't. McCain somehow recovered. His bones healed, although he would forever be limited in his movement, and he gained back his strength.
Then, in 1968, he was called into the prison commandant's office and offered his release.
It seemed that McCain's father, Admiral John McCain, Sr., had been named head of all all navy forces in the Pacific. The North Vietnamese thought it would be a smart public relations move to release the admiral's son. But the younger McCain refused. He cited a rule from the military's code of conduct that said that prisoners of war were to be released in the order they were captured and imprisoned. McCain said it was simply unfair for him to get out when another guy who'd been there for years would have to stay. He refused to be released.
Prison guards tried to persuade the young pilot by breaking two of his ribs, knocking out his teeth and re-breaking one of his arms. He still refused to leave.
After all that punishment and torture and psychological abuse, I'd imagine that most men would be able to rationalize breaking that rule, just this once. But not McCain. He stayed.
And he spent the next four years of his life at the Hanoi Hilton, much of it in a small solitary confinement cell called the "punishment room."
He was finally released on March 14, 1972, more than five years after his capture. To this day, he remains physically limited by the injuries he sustained in prison.
Conclusion I don't know if John McCain will win the election, or if he can be a good president. I certainly don't know if he can get us out of the many messes created by our current presidential administration. I don't even think that I am going to vote for him.
But if he does become president, I will find comfort in having a leader with a heart that is 100 times bigger than his predecessor, a devotion to his country and to his military duty that is second to none, and the physical and mental toughness of an fing bull.
Palin isn't the miracle answer to all our problems, but it's the best we're going to get for this cycle. Your divisive attacks on McCain are getting very old, very fast. His honor and bravery as a POW were unquestionable. If you have something new to add, then add it, but don't keep sniping on the same themes.
I suppose a partial no answer is as close to an answer as you can get.
You speak of Palin, but I hadn’t mentioned her. Then, in your tag line, you got it almost totally wrong too. Plenty of people who were not going to vote McCain are now going to because they believe that she makes up for all of McCain’s ‘sins’.
You’ve decided that the time for ‘third parties’ is now over for this election, so everyone should shut up? I may have said that I was going to vote third party, but I don’t recall so yet again, your reply is non-responsive.
How is asking questions being divisive? Where did I question his bravery or service? I questioned the report of him being close to death and his recovery without medical intervention.
Is ‘Hall Monitor’ a paid position or volunteer?
99% of the time I live and let live. God knows, plenty of my posts have been wrong or stupid or counterproductive. In one particular case I argued against the 2003 Iraq invasion even after it was decided (in late 2002). I was asked to stop arguing (well asked would be a nice word) because I was impacting troop morale. I stopped pretty soon after that.
I don't track trolls or newbies very often, don't have the time and nobody pays me to be here or do that. Maybe one time a year at most. I have occasionally called out a poster I thought was a troll and there was one occasion where I contributed to the banning of an obvious troll (much more obvious than you).
The reason I spoke of Palin is I checked your other posts to make sure you weren't bad mouthing her. There are still third party deadenders who are. You are not and that is good. Considering your posting history I do not think you are a troll (whew that must come as relief to you!)
With that kind of censorship there is always the danger of group-think. But I don't think that is a problem in this case, there are still plenty of reasonable arguments against McCain's specific positions. I just don't like innuendo such as your postings in this thread.
Ok, I changed my tagline a bit just to please you.
I am not preoccupied with that. I dismissed it as having any importance. You are just trying to make it seem like I am.
McCain mentioned it in his speech but did not elaborate and I do not know what it entailed, if anything.
What I don’t forgive him for is the legislation that he championed. He did his worst without any coercion or torture at all and while living in luxury.
I am the anti-PC and some people just can’t stand it. I don’t like spin and I don’t like lies from either side. When I see something that false, I call it out. When I see something questionable, I challenge it.
I am now no longer a Republican, but even when I was, I refused to support the “R”. I don’t believe that you get the best representation if you do that. If you forgive their bad votes — and reward them with your vote again — you don’t hold them to any standard at all. The only thing that pols pay attention to is the voter who has not climbed onto their bandwagon. Once you are aboard, they can forget about you.
If we hadn’t withheld our support from McCain, we wouldn’t have got Palin. Why would he give us anything when we were already on board if he could instead win other votes with other promises?
Relate this to any negotiation. If you accept the first offer, you will not get what you want. You have to say no and say it often. The fear of lose (a sale or an election) is a great motivator. If you hold out, they will give in. Always let the politician know that your vote is never to be taken for granted even if you have already decided that you will vote that way.
If we give in early then we are little different from the girl that ‘gives it up’ on the first date when there is no commitment from the man. They have to earn it. ;-)
Who, and what do they say little man?
You're an idiot.
Hey Weasel, what does your statement have to do with POW McCain?
Ten days to respond. Impressive.
There have been stories of both heroism and betrayal for over 20 years. Some were by others who were in prison at that same time. I don’t know now who said what or when. Try a search if you don’t believe that those stories exist.
I said that the posted story left room for doubt about what happened and past reports show that to be the case. Since we have no proof either way, I base my opinion of him on his political career, not his military experience.
Is that plain enough for you? I shall expect your reply sometime this month or next. Don’t worry. I’m patient.
That’s pretty good. Are you a former liberal?
Is that where you learned to take part of a sentence out of context and then try make a big deal of it?
I read it. I didn’t say that I knew it to be true or that I believed it. I just read it. Are you saying that I didn’t read it?
In fact, I added that if he was involved . . .
Just go back and read what I wrote. I am tiring of repeating myself to those who can’t or won’t read.
Try to keep up with your own comments and you’ll likely be less confused about the ‘discussion’ though I cannot guarantee that.
Ten days ago, you said that you will defend McCain because he was a naval aviator and in return, I asked if you believed that all service men (and women to be fair and inclusive) were also free of criticism.
If you are, we can disband the UCMJ and the JAG’s office because we are wasting a lot of time and money. My response to you didn’t mention McCain, only the uniform. I wanted to see if your defense applied across the board or was limited to McCain.
Again, take your time in finding an answer and getting back to me.
You are pathetic. I'll bet you got beat up a lot in middle school. You can't back up your accusations.
You still can’t tell me who or what. Try again idiot.
(Please: NO profanity, NO personal attacks, NO racism or violence in posts.)
I made no accusations. You made a comment and I asked a question to clarify it. You have refused to answer.
I bet that you had to rely on beating people up because you can’t follow a conversation or discuss anything.
“You still can’t tell me who or what. Try again idiot.”
(Please: NO profanity, NO personal attacks, NO racism or violence in posts.)
Try again to follow the rules and play nice with others.
Bite me.
McCain’s experience was like that of the rest of the POWS. Are there any other Vietnam era POWS you hold in such contempt for their service?
I don’t think so. You’d probably taste pretty nasty.
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