John McCain Dead at 81: My perspective as a 250 combat mission survivor (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia).

[DemoTex]

What incredible sadness washes over me hearing this expected news. What a good man. What a history. We have lost a lion in the Senate, and I say that as a card-carrying Democrat.
His history in Vietnam is epic. I was there, so I can call it. As I flew the Ho Chi Minh Trail at night, I knew his story. I had to. I could end up with John, in the Hanoi prison. He would be my commander.
This is my all time favorite Saguaro photo. In Tucson Mountain Park, of the Sonoran desert. On a road called the McCain Loop.

RIP, Sir

[WestIndianArchie]

1. Politics aside you have to respect him as a human being and what he endured

[nolabear]

2. Well done.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. Yours is a beautiful tribute and a wonderful photo, my dear DemoTex...

I am sad to hear this news, even though I knew it was coming.

No-one escapes death. He went honorably and I hope without pain.

May he rest in peace.

[GemDigger]

4. John was a good man at heart.

I thank his and yours for your service.

[Still In Wisconsin]

5. Sorry, DemoTex, for the loss of your brother in arms.

We've all lost a good man, and those who served, especially in his war, have lost a little more.

Go peacefully, Senator McCain, and thank you.

[FightingIrish]

6. By the time I got to Vietnam he was already a POW

He was a living legend in the ranks of Naval Aviation and an inspiration to all of us who served in his footsteps. I seldom agreed with him but had to admire the honor and decency he never abandoned. I just lowered our flag to half staff. It felt good honoring in that small way.

[DesertRat]

7. Thank you, DemoTex

[saidsimplesimon]

40. The photo of a desert sunset

and a lone cactus, my thanks also to DemoTex.

[mcar]

8. Thank you for your insight

and your service. I knew of Sen. McCain's Vietnam experience, but watching Ken Burns Vietnam War taught me so much. I was a kid then and paid little attention. What you all went through was eye opening.

[SidDithers]

9. DU rec...

Sid

[john657]

10. What a wonderful, wonderful post

and picture.

Like you, I am deeply saddened by his passing, and I can relate to you and John, I was a door gunner on a Huey in Vietnam and could have ended up in the Hanoi Hilton also but, for the grace of god, go I.

RIP Senator John McCain and safe passage.

[Uncle Joe]

11. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for sharing DemoTex

[CentralMass]

12. Thank for your comments and experienced perspective and service.

I was young the last time he talked about it but my brotherinlaw flew the Ho Chi Minh Trail at night in some capacity. We visited him and my sister in Colorado Springs around '68 or '69 and at an air show at the Academy he was showing us the different aircraft. One was a small prop driven reconnisence llane. I think the mission was to fly low spot targets and drop flares to light them up. He saw some time in an F100 before his tour ended.

[NBachers]

13. As Americans, John McCain is part of our American story. Thanks for putting this here, DemoTex.

[Elwood P Dowd]

14. Great post DemoTex.

[njhoneybadger]

15. Nice Demotex

[dalton99a]

16. Kick

[flotsam]

17. I'll never forget the video

of him escaping from his plane in the Forrestal fire. 23 trips downtown. A stud!

[slumcamper]

18. Chills. Seldom do thoughts move me like yours.

Commendations for sharing such an extraordinary retrospective and deeply meaningful tribute.

[ProudProgressiveNow]

19. KR NT

[sl8]

20. Thanks for your post. n/t

[KY_EnviroGuy]

21. DemoTex, your sunset photo is quite fitting for the moment.

Senator McCain would surely smile.......RIP.......

[Brother Buzz]

22. I believe McCain would have enjoyed seeing some of the limbs on that Saguaro shortened.....

to give the orange anus the finger.

You know what I mean, Vern?

[KT2000]

23. Thank you DemoTex

for the special tribute to Senator McCain.

[Lithos]

24. Thank you sir!

It's important to look past the politics and to the character of the person. John McCain while flawed in his politics followed two previous generations of McCains in giving their whole life to the service of the United States. The Country and the Constitution always first.

L-

[Honeycombe8]

25. Lovely tribute. An honorable, fine man. He had a remarkable life.

[AJT]

26. Heart felt and beautifully written.

[Tiggeroshii]

27. I'm having trouble keeping composure right now.

Army 4 years. He has no shortage of respect in the armed forces. He was a legend.

[Aristus]

28. Well said, DemoTex.

You'll always be a hero to me...

[Grasswire2]

29. Thanks to all in this thread who served.

You are noted and honored. May we never forget.

[JohnnyRingo]

30. Amen

Thanx for posting.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

31. What kind of plane did you fly?

Good job coming back home.

[grantcart]

32. I am in stunned awe of your 250 missions

What was the maximum that you had to do?

I am sure that exceeded that number and agreed to continue when you didn't have to.

Thank you for your tribute to Senator McCain.

He stood out not only as a POW but also as a father and was critical to normalizing relations with Vietnam in the 90s.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211046181

[Raine]

33. Loving tribute

and such a beautiful picture, thank you for sharing them both...

[oasis]

34. Thank you for posting this lovely tribute.

[kentuck]

35. John McCain always reminded me of my time in Vietnam...

He was thirty when I was twenty. It's a sad day.

[VOX]

36. Nicely expressed, DemoTex.

His story will be remembered.

[Hekate]

37. KnR. Thank you for everything.

[Wounded Bear]

38. Welcome home, to both of you...

[ChazII]

39. A beautiful shot of the saguaro.

Thank you for sharing it. Making plans to go to down to Tucson when it gets a bit cooler.

[Ilsa]

41. K&R for your post and all of the heartfelt replies. (Hugs) nt

[tiptonic]

42. Semper Fidelis

I too did not know him but had nothing but respect for the man. Sleep well my friend.

[cp]

43. Thank you

[fierywoman]

44. Beautiful words -- thank you.

[GentryDixon]

45. I was an employee on a DoD Army installation.

I wore the POW bracelet of LTC Benjamin Purcell until after he was released. Many years later I looked him up because I wanted to send the bracelet back to him.

I was surprised a few weeks later to receive a note from him thanking me for the bracelet, and enclosed was an autographed book he and his wife Amy had written entitled "Love & Duty". They wrote it from both his perspective of being a prisoner of war, and she as a "waiting wife" trying to raise their children. It was a very heartfelt narrative of their lives.

https://www.veteransunited.com/network/highest-ranking-vietnam-pow-dies-at-85/

[oberliner]

46. Well said

Thank you for sharing those comments.

[WheelWalker]

47. And the Wheel turns.

[Leghorn21]

48. An extraordinary post, DemoTex. Many thanks for this, truly.