LA Times attacks John with hal lsat quotes from those who DID NOT fly with him. Followed by one line(at the bootom) of those that did...Good Grief.
How about mentioning how he risked his life when the Yorktown caught fire and he helped rescue sailors, and then helped put out the fire. Or one could mention how hard he worked at painful physical therapy after his return from Vietnam so he could get back on flight status. McCain has always been forthcoming about his wilder days. A man who grows up due to extreme physical and mental hardship is a lot more self-aware than one who has never been forced to grow up.
In today's military, a lapse in judgment that causes a crash can end a pilot's career. Manfred von Richthofen (the Red Baron), Germany's highest scoring World One ace, had his first solo flight on October 10, 1915.
He crashed.
Richthofen was transferred to pilot training. He was an adequate, but not outstanding, pilot--after 25 training flights, he crashed while trying to land on his first solo flight.
Ernst Udet, Germany's second highest scoring World One ace, had a similar "problem".
Udet was court-martialed for losing his aircraft in an incident the flying corps considered bad judgement. The aircraft, overloaded with gas and bombs, stalled after a sharp bank, plunging the two men into the ground. Udet went to the guardhouse for seven days.
Quentin Roosevelt, son of Theodore Roosevelt, had the same "problem" during his World War One flying career.
"He was reckless to such a degree that his commanding officers had to caution him repeatedly about the senselessness of his lack of caution. His bravery was so notorious that we all knew he would either achieve some great spectacular success or be killed in the attempt. Even the pilots in his own flight would beg him to conserve himself and wait for a fair opportunity for a victory. But Quentin would merely laugh away all serious advice.
Quentin was shot down and died without a single victory.
Quentin Roosevelt besides his Nieuport 28, Number "14" with the US 95th Aero Squadron "Kicking Mule" insignia
Maybe Quentin's might have been too "unsafe". But, who are we to judge him?
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"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." ...... Theodore Roosevelt