[lawdude]

"How, exactly? Anybody could be in a vehicle accident and get captured."

This is the John McCain syndrome. All he did to attain HERO status was to crash a plane. I suspect virtually 100% of freepers could accomplish the same. After that he was a prisoner, alleged to have received somewhat better treatment than his co-prisoners.

[brooklin]

McCain was shot down. There's a difference between crashing a plane and being shot down. Also there is a difference in peoples minds about what constitutes a hero. The bronze star is almost a nothing medal, as commented by some of the other people here. At least she wasn't given a medal of honor.