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John McCain Being Captured

The Capture of John McCain.

John McCain capture

This picture is one from the Vietnam War. It is believed to have been taken in 1967 and shows Vietnamese civilians capturing a U.S. Airman as he had just made a crash landing into the site. The waterway is called Truc Bach Lake in Hanoi, and that particular airman is none other than Senator John McCain.

McCain, who is currently a Senator of the state of Arizona and was also the Republican nominee in 2008’s presidential race, served as an aviator with the United States Navy. With his family having a long background in the Navy, he considered this fulfilling a duty to his heritage and was sent out to fight in Vietnam in 1967.

His arrival was marked by tragedy as he was onboard the naval ship, U.S.S. Forrestal when it caught on fire, killing many sailors who were also on it. McCain survived but went from one tragedy to another.

While flying over Hanoi on a mission, his plane was shot down and he was captured after a crash landing that would severely injure him. As you can see from the picture, he was captured and then brought into a prisoner of war camp. While there, McCain reports that he was tortured for the next six years until the war finally came to a close and he was allowed to return home.

Despite the torment, he decided to continue serving in the Navy until running for the House of Representatives in 1982 and winning. In 1986 he even made it to the Senate, and is to this day one of the Republican Party’s most respected members.