Posted on 05/08/2008 7:51:34 AM PDT by tlb
WASHINGTON (AP) - John McCain's Navy record boils down to a series of unadorned paragraphs that bestow upon him some of the nation's top military honors.
The Navy recently released McCain's military record - most of it citations for medals during his Navy career - after a Freedom of Information Act request by The Associated Press.
McCain was awarded a Silver Star Medal for resisting "extreme mental and physical cruelties" inflicted upon him by his captors from late October to early December 1967, the early months of his captivity, according to the citation. The North Vietnamese, according to the Navy, ignored international agreements and tortured McCain "in an attempt to obtain military information and false confessions for propaganda purposes."
His captors tortured him and held him in solitary confinement. Still, he declined an offer of early release until those who had been at the prison longer than him were let go.
That decision earned McCain a Navy Commendation Medal. Although McCain was "crippled from serious and ill-treated injuries," he steadfastly refused offers of freedom from those holding him prisoner. "His selfless action served as an example to others and his forthright refusal, by giving emphasis to the insidious nature of such releases, may have prevented a possibly chaotic deterioration in prisoner discipline," the citation says.
McCain attended the U.S. Naval Academy from 1954 to 1958, and was commissioned as an ensign in June of that year. He retired in April 1981 with the rank of captain. In that time he received 17 awards and decorations. Besides the Silver Star Medal, McCain also received the Legion of Merit with a combat "V" and one gold star, a Distinguished Flying Cross and a Bronze Star Medal with a combat "V" and two gold stars.
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.myway.com ...
PAGING JOHN KERRY, MR. KERRY PLEASE PICK UP THE WHITE COURTESY PHONE!
It’s all good stuff, so why hasn’t McCain make this public until now?
For all McCain’s flaws, I just don’t see how the American people will prefer as President the bad-mouthing, entitled and elitist Harvard grad who’s never sacrificed the least thing for his country (spare me the community organizer crap), over this man.
If they do, then this aint the United States of America anymore. It’s Jeremiah Wright’s Amerikkka for real.
his military record will not matter...the media is in bed with Obama...its all about race and identity politics.
Interesting. He wrecks five jets and gets a Distinguished Flying Cross. Heck, I wrecked two helicopters and all I got was an Air Medal. Wait a minute, it’s starting to make sense. If I’d just had more time, and more helicopters...
I am so sick of his “honor” and “integrity” boasting.
I only wish he was this “honorable” and had the “integrity” to stay with his first wife, a former model with three kids. He came back from Nam and screwed everything in sight when he saw his first wife was disabled and disfigured from an accident while he was over in Nam. His current wife financed his divorce and within 30 days of the divorce, he married the current wife. No, I'm not impressed with John McPain. He's to the LEFT and a crew around.
McCain needs something to keep him in the news.
Maybe, he doesn't like to brag.
He won't pound his own chest, he knew it would come out eventually so why look like he was using it when someone else will do it for him
An admirable record to be sure.
mccain doesn’t talk about his sons service either. he may be angry, but he seems to be humble as well.
I think he has said many of times that he was not a hero. The Heros are the ones that didn’t come home.
Sounds like McCain should be the darling of the left with all of that. Yet, they still don’t like him.
It’s all about Marxism and the politics of victim-hood.
Some people ought to run for President themselves instead of complaining about the people who actually take the effort to get the job.
Modesty.
My uncle had a good battlefield medal for bravery in WW2 but you would never have found out by talking to him.
Never underestimate the stupidity of the electorate.
after a Freedom of Information Act request by The Associated Press.
Did they do the same for kerry? I don’t remember.
Modesty? Modest politician is an oxymoron. McCain’s first ad of the general campaign:
“Throughout the 60 second spot, images of McCain now, and during his days in Vietnam, flash across the screen while newspaper headlines superimposed behind the video call him an image for the future, ‘a real hero,’ ‘ready on day one.’”
Probably political timing for maximum publicity. The Democrats have pretty much chosen their nominee, although the Kabuki Theatre will continue for another few weeks.
McCain needs something to keep him in the news.
—
There has been a push by McCain the last few days to get his message out on many issues via his speeches and such.
Got to keep stirring the cauldron or the spoon sticks to the bottom, hillary knows how to do it quite well... but even Chelsea and WonderBubba couldn’t push her fat arse uphill on the WH donkeycart.
I read in a Thomas Sowell column that Obama was an organizer for ACORN!!!!!
LOL
ACORN a commie front group!
Exactly, I don't understand this about McCain... he's a bit TOO modest.
And I believe he has two courageous sons (both Marines?) serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. He really should bring that up once in awhile. The MSM certainly won't mention anything good about McCain (or any Republican)...
McCain would only be the first POW to become president, while the democrats offer the first WOMAN or first BLACK president, those are the real achievements Americans are interested in.
YES! I know that! But, doesn’t seem it matters....read his website....it reads like he’s the savior of the world with all the “programs” he has to save us.....no mention of HOW, of course....
“No, I’m not impressed with John McPain.”
It’s a cruel world. It’s going to be McCain or Obama. I guess we can still be comewhat grateful the choice isn’t Hitler or Stalin.
If you look at what was released, it is less than what Kerry made public.
It is simply *some* of the citations for his medals, not really his “military records.”
http://www.npc.navy.mil/NR/rdonlyres/330F85C7-5982-4B09-A46A-373964430AFB/0/Document.pdf
If they do, it ain’t gonna be the white house any more, it gonna be the black house. First thing he’s gonna do, he gonna rename it.
He is walking the walk, I will say that for him.
Worth reading the full article.
people who served in the military do not go around bragging...we did what we felt we had to do, and that is it...if you run into someone bragging, begin to doubt their stories (unless you have served, you would not understand this)
And an admiral or general in your family tree. ;)
It ain’t over yet for Hillary.
Obama has locked up nothing.
There is still plenty of room for the treachery of team Clinton...give it time.
Oh I know, the conventions are a lifetime away still.
Clintons will be Clintons. lol
Uh, don't think the AP was being modest for McCain. They had to down down the first sentence somehow, they couldn't stand the thought of actually blaring "Hey, Barack Obama is out crowing about busing women to political rallies but John McCain actually put his life on the line, paid dearly, and duly received this nation's highest honors!"
It makes me sick hearing Michelle Obama angrily declare Obama "bused women ... so they could fing their voices" Being a leftist troublemaker is hardly presidential timber.
Disagree on many levels. As the son of an Admiral, John is quite aware of the special attention the son of an important person might receive should they become captive. Reason one to keep it low key.
Second, and I'll give him full credit for this, he doesn't want to use their faithful service for his own political gain. Others might mention it for him, but it would be a huge mistake for John to trumpet this.
Third, if he singles out his sons, then what about the brave Marines serving with them? They're ALL heroes and John would be smart to answer any questions that way.
and so forth
Get over it already! Check it out...his former wife, Carol, supports him...besides, they were separated when he met Cindy. And, after all, Ronald Reagan was separated from Jane Wyman when he met Nancy Davis and Wyman supported him as well. You don't know what went on in McCain's marriage; and neither do the hard right wingers who write about this crap!
What happens to his sons when he becomes President?
Anybody know?
Arriana Huffington and her screed of a rag need to be pilloried.
She’s a disgusting little turd.
There, fixed it for you.
The MSM will leave no stone unturned in their effort to help elect him.
And perhaps you'd have killed yourself and then we wouldn't be enjoying your opinion.
The Associated Press requested his record under the Freedom of Information Act. McCain himself did not release this to the news.
IOW, they would - and should - be taken out of harms way so the President wouldn't be faced with the ultimate hostage crisis.
Good enough for me to hold my nose and vote for the lib.
Only McCain himself can blow his chances for beating Obama.
Obama can’t beat him, he can only beat himself.
This is interesting. Thanks for posting.
For me and a whole lot of other folks, all three of the current candidates don't deserve to be President.
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