Stepping outside my niche, as a carrier sailor I had to write a remembrance of Lt. Commander McCain

"A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his FREEDOM."

Bob Dylan


I am stepping out of my niche to write a blog commemorating and remembering Senator John McCain, I didn't know him personally but I knew a lot of pilots just like him, he was in one of the sister squadrons of the one I was assigned to during the Vietnam war. I don't get political and I won't in this blog, I did not agree with everything Mr. McCain took as political positions. I am a registered Democrat. (after being undeclared since 1969, this year I registered Democrat.) I have and always have had a deep personal respect for him, he like I was a "Carrier Sailor", we spent a portion of our lives on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier.

Senator McCains Squadrons Logo.

Commander McCain was in VA-163 flying A-4E aircraft, on board the USS. Oriskany which experienced a horrific fire that killed 100 sailors. Three months after the fire Mr. McCain launched off the deck of the ship into American history, he was shot down over Vietnam. A ground to air missile the size of a telephone pole ripped the right wing off of his jet forcing him to eject. Breaking both arms and his right leg at the knee. Landing in the water he began to sink, his arms would not work, he dropped his 50 pounds of gear and it sank to the bottom, as he did. Grabbing the release lanyard for his life preserver with his teeth he pulled back inflating the flotation device which brought him to the surface. A retired North Vietnamese Colonel Mai Van On was the first person the endangered pilot saw, handing Mr. McCain the end of a bamboo pole, On pulled him ashore. He had been shot down over Hanoi and parachuted into a lake in the center of that city.

A mob was waiting for him when Colonel On pulled the lifeless aviator ashore,  he was severely abused being punched, spit upon, his shoulder was smashed when a bystander slammed it with a rifle butt. While in agony from the now broken shoulder a bayonet was stabbed through his foot, it was not a welcome home party. He was taken to Ministry of Defense Hospital #108, from there he went to Hoa Loa prison, the "Hanoi Hilton" where he would spend the next 6 years.

The Jets were spotted on the flight deck according to "sortie", four aircraft of each model would be launched on a mission to return 4 hours later, refueled, serviced, loaded with bombs, and sent off the deck again. Each of the planes was piloted by young men, I was 18 years old during my first 'Westpac", the pilots were old at the age of 23-25, most were academy graduates. As a "Plane Captain" I was responsible for the maintenance of one aircraft, preparing it between launches then standing by until the pilot came to complete his mission.

Senator McCains A4-E Squadron

The pilot and the plane captain made a "walk around" inspection of the airplane, checking for leaks, loose rivets, and the general condition of the airplane. He would check the ordinance, the tires, and struts generally holding one hand against the fuselage it was almost like bonding with the jet. Climbing into the cockpit the plane captain followed him up, fastening the seat belt, talking to the pilot making sure all systems were set to go. If the ejection seat were to be accidentally activated it would be death to the pilot and plane captain, it had to be armed.

The engine was started first, sometimes they did not start, which would abort the flight, I don't remember a plane I had not starting. We would then go through our pre-flight checks, vertical stabilizer, ailerons, rudders, and flaps, looking for hydraulic leaks and proper operation. The engine would be revved up, and the last check was fuel level, 2,000 pounds he would signal with our way of one-handed counting.

Upon completion of the pre-flight checks the "blue shirts" would assist in removing the hold down chains, chocks, and then stand by to move the plane. The plane captain would then direct the plane to a waiting "yellow shirt" who would then direct the aircraft to the Catapaults.

We saluted the pilot then tapping our helmet we would then with both arms motioning to the yellow shirt to take over, we always met eyes with the pilots. Following the plane to the Cats, we watched during the prep and hook up of the plane to the steam-driven shuttle. The moment of truth has arrived, he will now be sent off the flight deck at 200 mph under full throttle. We would on occasion lose an airplane to the ocean, I don't recall how many the USS Ranger lost while I was on board, it was at least a dozen during the cruise of 1970-71, with the loss of some of the pilots.

A photo of one of the airplanes in the squadron I was attached to.

The courage displayed by pilots like Senator McCain is best described by the words of a Bruce Springsteen song, "Courage we can't understand." Looking at the face of the young pilots every emotion was on display, fear, bravery, intelligence, and raw courage. Every launch of every aircraft was the same, the aviators were being sent into the great unknown risking everything for their country, their people, and their lives. If there was not enough steam pressure if the rolling of the ship was timed wrong, or if there was a problem with the connection to the shuttle that plane was going into the water, along with the pilot. Upon connecting the shuttle to the plane a signal was made to the flight deck officer all was ready for launch, he would then double check the setup and when satisfied got an OK on the steam pressure and sounded the launch alarm, then finally touching the deck the aircraft was launched. Hunkering down like a large wild cat getting ready to pounce it would hesitate for a split second, the pilot saluted one more time set his helmeted head back into the seat and was launched. That was the moment he (in those days we had only male pilots in attack squadrons.) did not know if he would ever come back, courage I didn't understand then and I still don't to this day.

So went Senator McCain on that fateful October 26, 1967, when he was launched off of the flight deck of the USS Oriskany in his A-4E Skyhawk. On the western lakeshore of Trúc Bạch Lake, on Thanh Niên Road, in Hanoi, a monument has been erected with these words on it "Here on 26 October 1967 at Truc Bach Lake in the capital city of Ha Noi, John Sidney McCain was shot out of the sky in his A4 aircraft by local militia citizens defending Yen Phu.  There were 10 other planes shot down on the same day." If a memorial is erected by a country honoring an enemy pilot, that pilot had to have done something heroic in their eyes. I believe that something was when it was discovered Senator McCain was the son of a Navy Admiral he was offered an early release by his captors. His reply was only if everyone in that prison was released with him, he spent 6 years in that prison being tortured due to that decision. That one act is and will remain in United States Naval history as a quotation as famous as Oliver Hazards Perry's "Don't give up the Ship" embossed on the battle flag of the USS Niagra. Made famous as the dying words of James Lawrence as he was dying aboard the USS Chesapeake in 1813.

(Follow this Link to read more famous Navy quotes)

Senator McCain has my respect and he always will, I knew pilots like him made out of "stuff" that is hard to define that did not return after being shot down. One incident, in particular, a pilot went down in North Vietnam all the while staying in radio contact we listened from the ready room. His dying words were "The enemy is upon me," hearing shots ring out we knew he was dead.

My Squadron Logo.

I as all sailors witnessed a lot of undescribable incidences that occurred out at sea, every sailor has at least one, mine is the bravery and dedication I witnessed each and every time a pilot went off the deck. None of us came away from that war untouched mentally or physically. Some were faced with impossible situations and rose to the occasion, Senator McCain may not have been the only hero in that war, but he was my hero, displaying courage I don't understand.

John McCain retired from the Navy in 1981, the recipient of the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

I feel I must add this note, I was in VA-25, the fist of the fleet, I did not know Senator McCain personally, although I knew about him. The fire on the Oriskany took place two years prior to my first Westpac, I saw many training films about it. There are nefarious people attempting to blame that tragic Naval disaster on Mr. McCain, I will state with 100% assuredness he did not start that fire. It would have been impossible for him to do so, besides the fact that ship was every sailors home, we don't set our ships on fire. I can describe how it started, how the sailors were killed, and where most of them died, however, it would take many more pages than a mere blog.

The USS Oriskany on fire, it brings tears to my eyes.

Thanks for reading and sharing my blog. The comments coming out of our nation's capital words of total disrespect towards John McCain are despicable and unbecoming of the leader of our nation. Yes, it was a highly unpopular war, but to continue the discrimination and outright hostility for the veterans of the "teenagers war", after 50 years is completely uncalled for. That war never ended for many of us, in the very least Senator McCain will now rest in peace, the nightmares will end, for him.

jacquesandkate  emergencykitsplus.com