John McCain

John McCain - United States Senator, Life Achievements and Facts

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John McCain's Personal Details

John McCain was an American politician who served as the senior Senator from Arizona

InformationDetail
BirthdayAugust 29, 1936
Died onAugust 25, 2018
NationalityAmerican
FamousLeaders, Political Leaders, Aviators, United States Senator
HobbiesHiking, History, Fishing, Barbecue grill che, Baseball, Sports, Football, Basketball, Boxing
City/StateArizona
SpousesCarol McCain, Cindy McCain
SiblingsJoe McCain, Sandy McCain
Known asJohn Sidney McCain III
ChildrensMeghan McCain
Universities
  • United States Naval Academy
  • Episcopal High School
  • National War College
Founder / Co-Founder
  • The Reform Institute
Birth PlaceCoco Solo, Panama
Political IdeologyPolitical party- Republican
ReligionBaptists, Episcopal Church, Protestantism, Southern Baptist Convention
Height175
GenderMale
FatherJohn S. McCain Jr.
MotherRoberta McCain
Net Worth$100 million as of Jun 19,2017
Sun SignVirgo
Born inCoco Solo, Panama
Famous asUnited States Senator
Died at Age81

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John McCain's photo

Who is John McCain?

John McCain was an American politician who served as a Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican Party’s presidential nominee in the 2008 presidential elections. Born into a military family, he followed his family tradition and joined the U.S Naval Academy, eventually becoming a naval aviator. He took part in the Vietnam War and was almost killed, on a bombing mission over Hanoi, when his plane was shot down and he was taken a prisoner. John McCain's near-death experience in the Vietnam War didn’t deter him from returning back to resume duty. After retiring from the navy, he joined politics. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives twice and to the U.S Senate four times. He has earned a reputation of a "maverick" politician for his open disagreement with his party on certain issues. He played a key role in restoring diplomatic relations with Vietnam in the 1990s. He was a US Senator from Arizona from 1987 to 2018. He also contested for presidential nomination in 2000 against Texas Governor George W. Bush, and ran for the US presidential elections in 2008 opposite Democratic candidate Barack Obama but lost.

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Childhood & Early Life

John Sidney McCain III was born on August 29, 1936, at Coco Solo Naval Air Station, Panama Canal Zone, as the second of three kids, to naval officer John S. McCain Jr. and Roberta (Wright) McCain.

Both his father and paternal grandfather were four-star US navy admirals and came from a family of Scotch-Irish and English lineage.

After shifting between various navy bases in the US and abroad, his family settled in Arizona in 1951, where he went to a private preparatory boarding school, Episcopal High School, Alexandria, Virginia, graduating in 1954.

In order to continue the family tradition, he attended United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, and passed out in 1958.

Career

John McCain started his military career with a two-and-half years training at Pensacola, thus becoming a naval aviator of ground-attack aircraft in 1960, and began flying USS Intrepid and USS Enterprise in the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas.

During the Vietnam War in July 1967, John McCain volunteered to fly A-4 Skyhawk in the bombing campaign, Operation Rolling Thunder, where his plane went down in a bomb explosion, but McCain escaped with injuries on legs and chest.

In October 1967 while on his 23rd bombing mission, his A-4E Skyhawk was attacked over the North Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, where he broke both arms and one leg, and was held captive in Hoa Lo Prison or ‘Hanoi Hilton’.

He received medical treatment only after North Vietnamese discovered that his father was a high-ranking admiral. He rejected various offers of early release, not willing to violate military code of conduct and being used as a powerful piece of propaganda.

After spending five and a half years in different prison camps, including two years in solitary confinement, with continuous physical torture and maltreatment, he was released in March 1973 as a Prisoner of War (POW).

He underwent rehabilitation and physical therapy for months to get his injuries treated and resumed his flying duty in late 1974. However, his poor physical health deterred his ability to advance further in the Navy.

Visualizing his better prospects in politics after being assigned as the Navy’s liaison to the US Senate in 1977, he retired from the Navy in 1981 on the rank of a captain.

He moved to Arizona to his second wife, Cindy’s residence and started working in her father’s company, Hensley & Co, handling public relations and establishing political connections.

He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982 and 1984. Being an ardent supporter of the Reagan administration, he was included in the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

He was elected as the US Senate from Arizona in 1986, defeating longtime Arizona Republican Barry Goldwater, and was, thereafter re-elected in 1992, 1998, 2004, and 2010.

He served as a member on the Armed Services Committee, Commerce Committee, and Indian Affairs Committee, but rose to national prominence through his 1988 Republican National Convention speech.

In 1987, John McCain got involved in a scandal as a ‘Keating Five’ member for having connections with savings and loan swindler Charles Keating, Jr. Although he was cleared of the charges in 1991, he was criticized for showing ‘poor judgment’.

He served as the Chairman of the International Republican Institute, from January 1993 till his death in 2018.

Despite differing thoughts on several issues, like illegal immigration, pork barrel spending, global warming, torture, and constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, he supported Bush for 2004 presidential re-elections.

He has been a supporter of the 2007 surge of Iraq troops and stressed upon wining the 2001 Afghanistan War.

In 2015, he became the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services.

Major Works

In 2000, John McCain ran for Republican presidential nomination against his biggest rival, Texas Governor George W. Bush. After initial primary wins, he lost to Bush and endorsed him thereafter, making a few appearances during Bush’s campaign.

He entered the presidential race for 2008 elections and became the Republic Party’s nominee, with Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential running mate. He lost the election to Barack Obama.

Awards & Achievements

John McCain was honored with the Silver Star, Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit, and Navy Commendation Medal towards his military services.

In 1997, he was listed among the ’25 Most Influential People in America’, by Time magazine.

He received the Profile in Courage Award, shared with Russell Feingold, in 1999.

He was included in the ‘America’s 10 Best Senators’ list by Time magazine, in 2006.

Personal Life & Legacy

In 1965, John McCain married Carol Shepp, a model from Philadelphia, thus becoming step-father to her two kids, Douglas and Andrew, from her previous marriage.

The couple had their first child in 1966: daughter Sidney. However, due to McCain’s extramarital affair with Cindy Lou Hensley, daughter of multimillionaire beer distributor in Phoenix, the couple divorced in 1980.

He married Cindy in 1980, a month after his divorce. The couple had four children: Meghan McCain (1984), John Sidney IV (1986), James Hensley (1988), and Bridget Leela (1991, adopted from a Bangladeshi orphanage).

John McCain died on August 25, 2018, four days before his 82nd birthday, at his home in Cornville, Arizona. His family had on August 24 announced that he would no longer receive treatment for cancer.

He was diagnosed with skin cancer, with lesions on face and arm, in 2000, and got all the cancerous tissues removed surgically. Later in 2001, he underwent routine surgery for prostate cancer.

The military tradition of the family has been followed by his sons. His son, John Sidney IV, is a helicopter pilot, while his other son James Hensley is serving in the US Marine Corps.

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John McCain's awards

YearNameAward

Other

0Distinguished Flying Cross
0Legion of Merit
0Meritorious Service Medal
0Commendation Medal
0Profile in Courage Award - 1999
0Air Medal
0Combat Action Ribbon
0Prisoner of War Medal
0National Order of Vietnam
0Evelyn F. Burkey Award - 2004
0Purple Heart
0 Bronze Star Medal
0 Silver Star

John McCain biography timelines

  • // 29th Aug 1936
    John Sidney McCain III was born on August 29, 1936, at Coco Solo Naval Air Station, Panama Canal Zone, as the second of three kids, to naval officer John S. McCain Jr. and Roberta (Wright) McCain.
  • // 1951 To 1954
    After shifting between various navy bases in the US and abroad, his family settled in Arizona in 1951, where he went to a private preparatory boarding school, Episcopal High School, Alexandria, Virginia, graduating in 1954.
  • // 1958
    In order to continue the family tradition, he attended United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, and passed out in 1958.
  • // 1960
    John McCain started his military career with a two-and-half years training at Pensacola, thus becoming a naval aviator of ground-attack aircraft in 1960, and began flying USS Intrepid and USS Enterprise in the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas.
  • // 1965
    In 1965, John McCain married Carol Shepp, a model from Philadelphia, thus becoming step-father to her two kids, Douglas and Andrew, from her previous marriage.
  • // 1966 To 1980
    The couple had their first child in 1966: daughter Sidney. However, due to McCain’s extramarital affair with Cindy Lou Hensley, daughter of multimillionaire beer distributor in Phoenix, the couple divorced in 1980.
  • // Jul 1967
    During the Vietnam War in July 1967, John McCain volunteered to fly A-4 Skyhawk in the bombing campaign, Operation Rolling Thunder, where his plane went down in a bomb explosion, but McCain escaped with injuries on legs and chest.
  • // Oct 1967
    In October 1967 while on his 23rd bombing mission, his A-4E Skyhawk was attacked over the North Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, where he broke both arms and one leg, and was held captive in Hoa Lo Prison or ‘Hanoi Hilton’.
  • // Mar 1973
    After spending five and a half years in different prison camps, including two years in solitary confinement, with continuous physical torture and maltreatment, he was released in March 1973 as a Prisoner of War (POW).
  • // 1974
    He underwent rehabilitation and physical therapy for months to get his injuries treated and resumed his flying duty in late 1974. However, his poor physical health deterred his ability to advance further in the Navy.
  • // 1977 To 1981
    Visualizing his better prospects in politics after being assigned as the Navy’s liaison to the US Senate in 1977, he retired from the Navy in 1981 on the rank of a captain.
  • // 1980 To 1991
    He married Cindy in 1980, a month after his divorce. The couple had four children: Meghan McCain (1984), John Sidney IV (1986), James Hensley (1988), and Bridget Leela (1991, adopted from a Bangladeshi orphanage).
  • // 1982 To 1984
    He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982 and 1984. Being an ardent supporter of the Reagan administration, he was included in the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
  • // 1986 To 2010
    He was elected as the US Senate from Arizona in 1986, defeating longtime Arizona Republican Barry Goldwater, and was, thereafter re-elected in 1992, 1998, 2004, and 2010.
  • // 1987 To 1991
    In 1987, John McCain got involved in a scandal as a ‘Keating Five’ member for having connections with savings and loan swindler Charles Keating, Jr. Although he was cleared of the charges in 1991, he was criticized for showing ‘poor judgment’.
  • // 1988
    He served as a member on the Armed Services Committee, Commerce Committee, and Indian Affairs Committee, but rose to national prominence through his 1988 Republican National Convention speech.
  • // Jan 1993
    He served as the Chairman of the International Republican Institute, from January 1993 till his death in 2018.
  • // 1997
    In 1997, he was listed among the ’25 Most Influential People in America’, by Time magazine.
  • // 1999
    He received the Profile in Courage Award, shared with Russell Feingold, in 1999.
  • // 2000
    In 2000, John McCain ran for Republican presidential nomination against his biggest rival, Texas Governor George W. Bush. After initial primary wins, he lost to Bush and endorsed him thereafter, making a few appearances during Bush’s campaign.
  • // 2000 To 2001
    He was diagnosed with skin cancer, with lesions on face and arm, in 2000, and got all the cancerous tissues removed surgically. Later in 2001, he underwent routine surgery for prostate cancer.
  • // 2001 To 2007
    He has been a supporter of the 2007 surge of Iraq troops and stressed upon wining the 2001 Afghanistan War.
  • // 2004
    Despite differing thoughts on several issues, like illegal immigration, pork barrel spending, global warming, torture, and constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, he supported Bush for 2004 presidential re-elections.
  • // 2006
    He was included in the ‘America’s 10 Best Senators’ list by Time magazine, in 2006.
  • // 2008
    He entered the presidential race for 2008 elections and became the Republic Party’s nominee, with Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential running mate. He lost the election to Barack Obama.
  • // 2015
    In 2015, he became the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services.

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John McCain's FAQ

  • What is John McCain birthday?

    John McCain was born at 1936-08-29

  • When was John McCain died?

    John McCain was died at 2018-08-25

  • Where was John McCain died?

    John McCain was died in Cornville, Arizona, U.S.

  • Which age was John McCain died?

    John McCain was died at age 81

  • Where is John McCain's birth place?

    John McCain was born in Coco Solo, Panama

  • What is John McCain nationalities?

    John McCain's nationalities is American

  • What is John McCain hobbies?

    John McCain's hobbies is Hiking, History, Fishing, Barbecue grill che, Baseball, Sports, Football, Basketball, Boxing

  • Who is John McCain spouses?

    John McCain's spouses is Carol McCain, Cindy McCain

  • Who is John McCain siblings?

    John McCain's siblings is Joe McCain, Sandy McCain

  • Who is John McCain childrens?

    John McCain's childrens is Meghan McCain

  • What was John McCain universities?

    John McCain studied at United States Naval Academy, Episcopal High School, National War College

  • Which company or organization was founded by John McCain?

    John McCain was the founder/co-founder of The Reform Institute

  • What is John McCain's political ideology?

    John McCain's political ideology is Political party- Republican

  • What is John McCain's religion?

    John McCain's religion is Baptists, Episcopal Church, Protestantism, Southern Baptist Convention

  • How tall is John McCain?

    John McCain's height is 175

  • Who is John McCain's father?

    John McCain's father is John S. McCain Jr.

  • Who is John McCain's mother?

    John McCain's mother is Roberta McCain

  • What is John McCain's sun sign?

    John McCain is Virgo

  • How famous is John McCain?

    John McCain is famouse as United States Senator