> “He was offered the chance to go home, the North Vietnamese hoping to capitalize on the fact his dad was CNO, but he refused special treatment and abided by the code ‘first in, first out’.”
Your statement perpetuates a lie drawn around false heroism.
McCain was ordered to refuse as were all other POWs by Admiral Stockdale who was the Commanding Officer of all POWs inside the Hanoi Hilton. Admiral stated that no POW would go home early unless all POWs were going as well.
McCain was under a general order. It was not of his own volition. That makes all the difference.
McCain was ordered to refuse as were all other POWs by Admiral Stockdale who was the Commanding Officer of all POWs inside the Hanoi Hilton. Admiral stated that no POW would go home early unless all POWs were going as well.
McCain was under a general order. It was not of his own volition. That makes all the difference.
Not everyone obeyed that order, which indicates choice was involved whether you can recognize that or not.
McCain earned special attention from his captors because he was more than merely a captive, he actively resisted. It's only from a position of ignorance about his actions after being captured, actions confirmed by Admiral Stockdale, that anyone can besmirch how McCain comported himself after capture.