Does anyone know how John McCain betrayed his fellow POWs when he was in North Vietnam?

Question

I heard this charge from someone who was imprisoned with McCain. The accuser would, of course, be one of McCain's strongest supporters if McCain had behaved honorably. But my friend, a helicopter pilot shot down in Cambodia, refuses to get specific. I confronted him last night and he still wouldn't talk about it. Having been through horrible experiences myself and perfectly able to talk about them, I'll have to go against touchy-feely attitudes here and state that anyone who plays that silence game is a wimp who couldn't take it. Second, as an American, I have as much right to demand this political information as the FBI does. Third, I also have as much right to judge that the accusation is true as an accredited "expert" does. John McCain is a Jane Fonda.

Yahoos think they can use with confidence a put-down created by the type of inferior people who get a professional public forum today. Buzzing of insects, which you robots think is rational only because of the position of the person who put these incompetent rebuttals in your heads.

One way to judge a suspicious action is by what the person did afterwards. Former Rep. Bob Dornan has made many credible accusations of what McCain did after he was re-assigned to active duty. It should not be necessary to state that though I believe Dornan, I am totally opposed to his politics.

Answer 1

What is the real story behind his days as a POW? The U.S. Veteran Dispatch had an article in June of 1996 entitled "POW Songbird McCain Wrongly Described As A Hero." It recounted numerous instances where John McCain violated the Military Coda of Conduct, which specifically orders American personnel to give the enemy no information other than name, rank, serial number, and date of birth. It requires that they accept no favors from the enemy, and to make no written or oral statement disloyal to the United States.

The fact is, in exchange for better medical treatment, McCain violated this code four days after being captured on Oct. 26, 1967. In a U.S. News and World Report interview dated May 14, 1973, two months after he was released, McCain admitted that he exchanged military information in exchange for spending six weeks in a hospital normally reserve for North Vietnamese Military officers.

U.S. government records show that less than two weeks after he was taken to the hospital, Hanoi's press began quoting specific military information, including the name of the aircraft carrier on which McCain had been based, information about the location of rescue ships and the order of which his attack was supposed to take place. The records demonstrate, according to the Dispatch article that McCain continued to collaborate with the Communists after he recovered from his injuries. He did a number of propaganda broadcasts that were aimed at destroying the moral of American servicemen fighting in the jungles of South Vietnam, On June 4, 1969, a U.S. Wire Service story reported one of McCain's broadcasts.

The service reported "Hanoi has aired a broadcast in which the pilot son of the U.S. Commander in the Pacific, Adm. John McCain purportedly admits to having bombed civilian targets in North Vietnam and praised medical treatment he has received since being taken prisoner."

McCain committed other breaches of the Code of Conduct by meeting with and giving interviews to foreign news reporters and anti American delegations.

McCain admits to talking with numerous high-ranking North Vietnamese leaders, including General Vo Nguyen Giap, their Minister of Defense.

He also did a cozy interview over coffee, oranges, and cake wish a Cuban psychiatrist, which took place in the Hanoi office of the Committee for Foreign Cultural Relations.

He failed to "evade answering questions to the utmost of his ability;" by actually conversing with his interviewer in Spanish.

Answer 2

You do have a right to information such as this if there is any truth to it, as McCain is a public political figure. I might add though, that this is not what I have heard of McCain's captivity. What I have heard is that he carried himself as honorably as one could in those circumstances. However, making a charge like this publicly without evidence is every bit as wrong as the silence game you accuse others of playing.

Answer 3

If there is any truth to this allegation, it would be distressing to most Americans, especially since John McCain is eying the oval office job. At this point, my instincts are to treat this as heresay, since know one has stepped forward to openly accuse Mr. McCain of such misdeeds.

The other question that would nag the hell out of most of us who avoided the indignity of capture and incarceration is: at what point are you being dishonorable? Survival is a strong instinct and most of us would do a hell of a lot more than offer name, rank, and serial number. I would hope that I would be able to lie and throw off my interrogators, or even cause them harm with bad information. On the other hand, torture is a great motivator to gather information!

Answer 4

I've only heard positive and glowing reports about McCain's imprisonment. It's my understanding that he remained behind longer than necessary to allow other prisoners to go free. I also believe it's been widely reported that he did, indeed, sign some kind of propaganda paper under considerable duress.
We can only imagine what kind of conditions our soldiers suffered under, which might motivate them to do anything just to ease the torture - or might cause them to do things they're not even fully aware of at the time.
In my opinion, it's hypocritical for you to play the "propaganda game" and broadcast these allegations without sufficient proof or evidence - and then accuse others of playing the "silence game". Either make your case with solid proof and strong evidence, or shut the hell up. -RKO-

Answer 5

I have several friends who did their (extended) tour in Vietnam at the Hilton including Bud Day, and what you suggest is simply not true. Believe me, I know how to "MAKE" you sign any document that I would wish for you to sign.
Here are two well documented accounts of what captivity was like over there. Maybe you should read them before you make any statements about anyones behavior while they were there. One way or another every man will reach his limit. Admiral Stockdale slit his wrists (would you think that maybe he felt death was a better alternative than resting any longer??).

http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,MoH_George_Day,00.html

http://www.admiralstockdale.us/

Answer 6

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Answer 7

As far as I've heard the only thing John McCain did was talk against some of the negatives said about John Kerry.

Answer 8

This could be it-

from Wikipedia
McCain signed an anti-American propaganda message which was written in Vietnamese, but only as a result of rigorous and brutal torture methods, which have rendered him incapable of raising his arms above his head. According to McCain, signing the propaganda message is something he most regrets during his time as a POW. After McCain signed the statement, the Vietnamese decided they could not use it. They tried to force him to sign a second statement, and this time he refused. He received two to three beatings per week because of his continued refusal.

But let me say for the record-
I am a proud leftist. I also consider John McCain to be an American hero who I would vote for in a heartbeat.

Answer 9

No I don't know myself, What horrible expieriances did you go through? were you with McCain when he went through whatever he went through?
Easy to judge another when you do not know the facts,
And if the facts are he did not betray anyone, would you accept that? or would you just deny it out of partisan politics and a desire to "dig up dirt" on anyone who does not share your political views?

Answer 10

How can you, for any reason, dishonor the service this man offered for our country. Can you imagine the horror of being captured, the fear and pain of the enemy lording over you while endeavoring to hold up? It should just about be a misdeamor to negate the value of any vet's performance!