John McCain

=== Naval training, first marriage, and Vietnam War assignment ===

[[Early life and military career of John McCain#Naval training, early assignments, first marriage, and children|McCain began his early military career]] when he was commissioned as an [[Ensign (United States)|ensign]], and started two and a half years of training at [[Pensacola, Florida|Pensacola]] to become a naval aviator.<ref name="alexander-32">Alexander, ''Man of the People'', p. 32.</ref> While there, he earned a reputation as a man who partied.<ref name="ap-wmd">Woodward, Calvin. [https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2007-11-03-998821539_x.htm "McCain's WMD Is A Mouth That Won't Quit"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315155128/http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2007-11-03-998821539_x.htm |date=March 15, 2012 }}. [[Associated Press]]. ''[[USA Today]]'' (November 4, 2007). Retrieved November 10, 2007.</ref> He completed flight school in 1960, and became a naval pilot of [[ground-attack aircraft]]; he was assigned to [[A-1 Skyraider]] squadrons<ref>McCain, ''Faith of My Fathers'', p. 156.</ref> aboard the [[aircraft carrier]]s {{USS|Intrepid|CV-11|6}} and {{USS|Enterprise|CVN-65|6}}<ref name="feinberg">Feinberg, Barbara. ''John McCain: Serving His Country'', p. 18 (Millbrook Press 2000). {{ISBN|0-7613-1974-3}}.</ref> in the [[Caribbean Sea|Caribbean]] and [[Mediterranean Sea]]s.<ref name="timberg-bio">Timberg, ''American Odyssey'', pp. 66–68.</ref> McCain began as a sub-par flier<ref name="timberg-bio" /> who was at times careless and reckless;<ref name="lat100608" /> during the early to mid-1960s, two of his flight missions crashed, and a third mission collided with power lines, but he received no major injuries.<ref name="lat100608">Vartabedian, Ralph and Serrano, Richard A. [https://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-aviator6-2008oct06,0,876358,full.story "Mishaps mark John McCain's record as naval aviator"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081021160309/http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-aviator6-2008oct06,0,876358,full.story |date=October 21, 2008 }}, ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' (October 6, 2008). Retrieved October 6, 2008.</ref> His aviation skills improved over time,<ref name="timberg-bio" /> and he was seen as a good pilot, albeit one who tended to "[[Flight envelope|push the envelope]]" in his flying.<ref name="lat100608" />

[[File:McCainWithSquadron.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|alt=Four military pilots posed in, on, or in front of, silver jet with United States markings|Lieutenant McCain (front right) with his squadron and [[T-2 Buckeye]] trainer, 1965]]

On July 3, 1965, McCain was 28 when he married [[Carol Shepp]], who had worked as a runway model and secretary.<ref name="dmr-mccain">[https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20080625184356/http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=caucus&template=detail&candidate=mccain "John McCain"], ''Iowa Caucuses '08'', ''[[The Des Moines Register]]''. Retrieved November 8, 2007.</ref> McCain adopted her two young children, Douglas and Andrew.<ref name="feinberg" /><ref name="alexander-92">Alexander, ''Man of the People'', p. 92</ref> He and Carol then had a daughter whom they named Sidney.<ref>Alexander, ''Man of the People'', p. 33</ref><ref name="nyt122707">Steinhauer, Jennifer. [https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/27/us/politics/27mccainkids.html "Bridging four Decades, a Large, Close-Knit Brood"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829223159/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/27/us/politics/27mccainkids.html |date=August 29, 2018 }}, ''[[The New York Times]]'' (December 27, 2007). Retrieved December 27, 2007.</ref> The same year, he was a one-day champion on the game show [[Jeopardy!|''Jeopardy''!]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-06-30-2937395846_x.htm |title=McCain recalls loss on ''Jeopardy!'' |last=Fouhy |first=Beth |work=[[USA Today]] |date=June 30, 2008 |access-date=June 3, 2013 |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006103643/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politics/2008-06-30-2937395846_x.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

McCain requested a combat assignment,<ref>McCain, ''Faith of My Fathers'', pp. 167–68.</ref> and was assigned to the aircraft carrier {{USS|Forrestal}} flying [[A-4 Skyhawk]]s.<ref>McCain, ''Faith of My Fathers'', pp. 172–73.</ref> [[Early life and military career of John McCain#Vietnam operations|His combat duty]] began when he was 30&nbsp;years old in mid-1967, when ''Forrestal'' was assigned to a bombing campaign, [[Operation Rolling Thunder]], during the [[Vietnam War]].<ref name="dmr-mccain" /><ref name="mccain-185">McCain, ''Faith of My Fathers'', pp. 185–86.</ref> Stationed in the [[Gulf of Tonkin]], McCain and his fellow pilots became frustrated by micromanagement from Washington, and he later wrote, "In all candor, we thought our civilian commanders were complete idiots who didn't have the least notion of what it took to win the war."<ref name="mccain-185" /><ref name="Karaagac">Karaagac, John. ''John McCain: An Essay in Military and Political History'', pp. 81–82 (Lexington Books 2000). {{ISBN|0-7391-0171-4}}.</ref>

On July 29, 1967, McCain was a [[lieutenant commander (United States)|lieutenant commander]] when he was near the center of the [[1967 USS Forrestal fire|USS ''Forrestal'' fire]]. He escaped from his burning jet and was trying to help another pilot escape when a bomb exploded;<ref name="nyt073167">Weinraub, Bernard. [http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/flash/politics/20080203_MCCAIN_TIMELINE/content/pdf/19670731b.pdf "Start of Tragedy: Pilot Hears a Blast As He Checks Plane"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229220753/http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/flash/politics/20080203_MCCAIN_TIMELINE/content/pdf/19670731b.pdf |date=December 29, 2017 }}, ''[[The New York Times]]'' (July 31, 1967). Retrieved March 28, 2008.</ref> McCain was struck in the legs and chest by fragments.<ref name="timberg-73">Timberg, ''American Odyssey'', pp. 72–74.</ref> The ensuing fire killed 134&nbsp;sailors and took 24&nbsp;hours to control.<ref name="ff-178">McCain, ''Faith of My Fathers'', pp. 177–79.</ref><ref name="DANFS">US Navy [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/f3/forrestal.htm Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships – Forrestal] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080320002709/http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/f3/forrestal.htm |date=March 20, 2008}}. States either Aircraft No.&nbsp;405 piloted by LCDR Fred D. White or No.&nbsp;416 piloted by LCDR John McCain was struck by the Zuni.</ref> With the ''Forrestal'' out of commission, McCain volunteered for assignment with the {{USS|Oriskany}}, another aircraft carrier employed in Operation Rolling Thunder.<ref>Timberg, ''American Odyssey'', 75.</ref> There, he was awarded the [[Navy Commendation Medal]] and the [[Bronze Star Medal]] for missions flown over North Vietnam.<ref name="ap050708" />