Two old Vietnam era Navy pilots explained to one very young veteran why John McCain is not a hero in their eyes. This was a conversation so fastenating that I actually kept my mouth shut long enough to hear all of it:
Sidebar: I have no connection to or interest in the Chris Shays vs Jim Hines race in Connecticut, but posted this initially as a comment last night in
Jim's rescued diary "Seven Years Ago"
Yesterday I was at Edward Hines VA with another Veteran. During his appointment I went out to have a smoke. I joined a trio whose conversation evidently had been going on some time before I got there. We were all sitting on two benches placed too close together for privacy having our smokes.
I join the conversation in progress:
These two old Navy pilots patiently pointed out that John's father was Admiral McCain. Both had served with the Admiral and I think one claimed he had flown the Admiral. As they told the story [something they must have done a many times because finished each others thoughts and added omitted details] every POW is an unlucky son-of-bitch. The Admiral's son had already sent 4 planes into the drink - and he should have been relieved of command.
In a nutshell they said that as a POW, John McCain knew that his father would get personal briefings on every scrap of knowledge every intelligence agency anywhere could provide. He also knew that his father would never intercede and never accept quietly any pilot who would voluntarily leave his men behind.
But here is their most startling charge: John McCain had no choice. He never did. Prisioners of War are prisioners - they just never get options especially the way McCain tells the story. He is a POW - but they claim he is no hero.
The young Vet just sat there bewildered.
What Jim Himes has to do with this story: In his diary, "Seven Years Ago", Hines talked about the decision he made as a civilian in New York previously trained Emergency Medical Technician. Himes is among the survivors of September 11th. As Himes tells it, he decided to help other survivors. For details, read the short diary.
As Jim Himes viewed the situation, he had a choice. He had time to consider the consequences. Without reguard to his own personal safety, Jim Himes walked into an unknown and unknowable situation to hopefully help others.
And that, my friends, is what constitutes a hero.