A pal from way back in McCain's past SURFACESI Spent Years as a POW with John McCain, and His Finger Should Not Be Near
the Red ButtonBy Phillip Butler, Military.com
Posted on August 21, 2008, Printed on August 21, 2008
http://www.alternet.org/story/95825/John McCain is a long-time acquaintance of mine that goes way back to
our time together at the U.S. Naval Academy and as Prisoners of War in
Vietnam. He is a man I respect and admire in some ways. But there are a
number of reasons why I will not vote for him for President of the
United States.When I was a Plebe (4th classman, or freshman) at the Naval Academy in
1957-58, I was assigned to the 17th Company for my four years there. In
those days we had about 3,600 midshipmen spread among 24 companies, thus
about 150 midshipmen to a company. As fortune would have it, John, a
First Classman (senior) and his room mate lived directly across the hall
from me and my two room mates. Believe me when I say that back then I
would never in a million or more years have dreamed that the crazy guy
across the hall would someday be a Senator and candidate for President!John was a wild man. He was funny, with a quick wit and he was
intelligent. But he was intent on breaking every USNA regulation in our
4 inch thick USNA Regulations book. And I believe he must have come as
close to his goal as any midshipman who ever attended the Academy. John
had me "coming around" to his room frequently during my plebe year. And
on one occasion he took me with him to escape "over the wall" in the
dead of night. He had a taxi cab waiting for us that took us to a bar
some 7 miles away. John had a few beers, but forbid me to drink
(watching out for me I guess) and made me drink cokes. I could tell many
other midshipman stories about John that year and he unbelievably
managed to graduate though he spent the majority of his first class year
on restriction for the stuff he did get caught doing. In fact he barely
managed to graduate, standing 5th from the bottom of his 800 man
graduating class. I and many others have speculated that the main reason
he did graduate was because his father was an Admiral, and also his
grandfather, both U.S. Naval Academy graduates.People often ask if I was a Prisoner of War with John McCain. My answer
is always "No - John McCain was a POW with me." The reason is I was
there for 8 years and John got there 2 1/2 years later, so he was a POW
for 5 1/2 years. And we have our own seniority system, based on time as
a POW.John's treatment as a POW:
1) Was he tortured for 5 years? No. He was subjected to torture and
maltreatment during his first 2 years, from September of 1967 to
September of 1969. After September of 1969 the Vietnamese stopped the
torture and gave us increased food and rudimentary health care. Several
hundred of us were captured much earlier. I got there April 20, 1965 so
my bad treatment period lasted 4 1/2 years. President Ho Chi Minh died
on September 9, 1969, and the new regime that replaced him and his
policies was more pragmatic. They realized we were worth a lot as
bargaining chips if we were alive. And they were right because
eventually Americans gave up on the war and agreed to trade our POW's
for their country. A damn good trade in my opinion! But my point here is
that John allows the media to make him out to be THE hero POW, which he
knows is absolutely not true, to further his political goals.2) John was badly injured when he was shot down. Both arms were broken
and he had other wounds from his ejection. Unfortunately this was often
the case -- new POW's arriving with broken bones and serious combat
injuries. Many died from their wounds. Medical care was non-existent to
rudimentary. Relief from pain was almost never given and often the
wounds were used as an available way to torture the POW. Because John's
father was the Naval Commander in the Pacific theater, he was exploited
with TV interviews while wounded. These film clips have now been widely
seen. But it must be known that many POW's suffered similarly, not just
John. And many were similarly exploited for political propaganda.3) John was offered, and refused, "early release." Many of us were given
this offer. It meant speaking out against your country and lying about
your treatment to the press. You had to "admit" that the U.S. was
criminal and that our treatment was "lenient and humane." So I, like
numerous others, refused the offer. This was obviously something none of
us could accept. Besides, we were bound by our service regulations,
Geneva Conventions and loyalties to refuse early release until all the
POW's were released, with the sick and wounded going first.4) John was awarded a Silver Star and Purple Heart for heroism and
wounds in combat. This heroism has been played up in the press and in
his various political campaigns. But it should be known that there were
approximately 600 military POW's in Vietnam. Among all of us,
decorations awarded have recently been totaled to the following: Medals
of Honor -- 8, Service Crosses -- 42, Silver Stars -- 590, Bronze Stars
-- 958 and Purple Hearts -- 1,249. John certainly performed courageously
and well. But it must be remembered that he was one hero among many --
not uniquely so-- as his campaigns would have people believe.John McCain served his time as a POW with great courage, loyalty and
tenacity. More that 600 of us did the same. After our repatriation a
census showed that 95% of us had been tortured at least once. The
Vietnamese were quite democratic about it. There were many heroes in
North Vietnam. I saw heroism every day there. And we motivated each
other to endure and succeed far beyond what any of us thought we had in
ourselves. Succeeding as a POW is a group sport, not an individual one.
We all supported and encouraged each other to survive and succeed. John
knows that. He was not an individual POW hero. He was a POW who
surmounted the odds with the help of many comrades, as all of us did.I furthermore believe that having been a POW is no special qualification
for being President of the United States. The two jobs are not the same,
and POW experience is not, in my opinion, something I would look for in
a presidential candidate.Most of us who survived that experience are now in our late 60's and
70's. Sadly, we have died and are dying off at a greater rate than our
non-POW contemporaries. We experienced injuries and malnutrition that
are coming home to roost. So I believe John's age (73) and survival
expectation are not good for being elected to serve as our President for
4 or more years.I can verify that John has an infamous reputation for being a hot head.
He has a quick and explosive temper that many have experienced first
hand. Folks, quite honestly that is not the finger I want next to that
red button.It is also disappointing to see him take on and support Bush's war in
Iraq, even stating we might be there for another 100 years. For me John
represents the entrenched and bankrupt policies of Washington-as-usual.
The past 7 years have proven to be disastrous for our country. And I
believe John's views on war, foreign policy, economics, environment,
health care, education, national infrastructure and other important
areas are much the same as those of the Bush administration.I'm disappointed to see John represent himself politically in ways that
are not accurate. He is not a moderate Republican. On some issues he is
a maverick. But his voting record is far to the right. I fear for his
nominations to our Supreme Court, and the consequent continuing loss of
individual freedoms, especially regarding moral and religious issues.
John is not a religious person, but he has taken every opportunity to
ally himself with some really obnoxious and crazy fundamentalist
ministers lately. I was also disappointed to see him cozy up to Bush
because I know he hates that man. He disingenuously and famously put his
arm around the guy, even after Bush had intensely disrespected him with
lies and slander. So on these and many other instances, I don't see that
John is the "straight talk express" he markets himself to be.Senator John Sidney McCain, III is a remarkable man who has made
enormous personal achievements. And he is a man that I am proud to call
a fellow POW who "Returned With Honor." That's our POW motto. But since
many of you keep asking what I think of him, I've decided to write it
out. In short, I think John Sidney McCain, III is a good man, but not
someone I will vote for in the upcoming election to be our President of
the United States.
* * * * *Doctor Phillip Butler is a 1961 graduate of the United States Naval
Academy and a former light-attack carrier pilot. In 1965 he was shot
down over North Vietnam where he spent eight years as a prisoner of war.
He is a highly decorated combat veteran who was awarded two Silver
Stars, two Legion of Merits, two Bronze Stars and two Purple Heart
medals. After his repatriation in 1973 he earned a Ph.D. in sociology
from the University of California at San Diego and became a Navy
Organizational Effectiveness consultant. He completed his Navy career in
1981 as a professor of management at the Naval Postgraduate School in
Monterey, California. He is now a peace and justice activist with
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