John S. McCain, Sr.
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| John S. McCain Sr. | |
|---|---|
| August 9, 1884 – September 6, 1945 (aged 61) | |
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| Place of birth | Carroll County, Mississippi |
| Place of death | Coronado, California |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1906–1945 |
| Rank | Vice Admiral |
| Commands held | USS Ranger Air Forces for Western Sea Frontier and the South Pacific Force Bureau of Aeronautics Second Fast Carrier Force Task Force 38.1 Task Force 38 |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
| Awards | Navy Cross Navy Distinguished Service Medal (3) |
| Relations | Adm. John S. McCain, Jr. (son) Capt./Sen. John S. McCain III (grandson) Brig. General William Alexander McCain (brother) |
John Sidney McCain Sr. (August 9, 1884 – September 6, 1945) was a U.S. Navy Admiral. He held several command assignments during the Pacific campaign of World War II.
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[edit] Early life and career
McCain was born in Carroll County, Mississippi, the son of Plantation owner [2] John Sidney McCain (b. Mississippi, 1851 – d. 1934) and wife (married in 1877) Elizabeth-Ann Young (b. Mississippi, 1855 – d. 1922), and attended the University of Mississippi before going to the United States Naval Academy, graduating in 1906.
McCain, with many other junior officers, took part in the Great White Fleet's world cruise from 1907 to 1909. Nimitz, Halsey, McCain and many other participants in this event would later rise to flag rank in World War II.
McCain's next assignment was in the Asiatic Squadron, after which he went to the naval base in San Diego, California. During the First World War, he was on convoy duty in the Atlantic Ocean.
In the 1920s and early 1930s, McCain served on the USS Maryland, USS New Mexico, and USS Nitro. His first command was the USS Sirius. In 1936, he became a naval aviator and from 1937 to 1939 he commanded the aircraft carrier USS Ranger. In January, 1941, after promotion to rear admiral, he commanded the Aircraft Scouting Force in the Atlantic Fleet.[1]
[edit] World War II and death
After the outbreak of hostilities between the U.S. and Japan in December, 1941, McCain was appointed as Commander, Aircraft, South Pacific in May 1942. In this position, he commanded all land-based Allied air operations supporting the Guadalcanal campaign in the Solomon Islands and south Pacific area.[2]
In October 1942, he was sent to Washington D.C. to head the Naval Bureau of Aeronautics. In August 1943 he became deputy chief of naval operations for air with the rank of vice admiral.[3]
McCain returned to combat operations in the Pacific in August 1944 with his appointment as commander of a carrier group in Marc Mitscher's Task Force 58 (TF58), part of Raymond Spruance's Fifth Fleet. In this role, McCain participated in the Marianas campaign, including the Battle of the Philippine Sea, and the beginning of the Philippines campaign.[4]
On October 30, 1944 McCain assumed command of TF58, now part of Bull Halsey's Third Fleet. In January 1945 he was reassigned as commander of a fast carrier task force that he led through the Battle of Okinawa and raids on the Japanese mainland.[5]
By war's end in August 1945, the stress of combat operations had worn McCain down to a weight of only 100 pounds. He requested home leave to recuperate but Halsey insisted that he be present at the Japanese surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay, Japan on September 2, 1945. Departing immediately after the ceremony, McCain died of a heart attack at his home in Coronado, California on September 6, 1945. He was posthumously promoted to full admiral.[6]
During his career McCain was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal and two Gold Stars in lieu of subsequent awards.[7]
[edit] Family and marriage
His grandfather, William Alexander McCain (b. North Carolina, 1812 – d. 1863), Confederate States Army, owned a 2,000-acre (8.1 km²) plantation in Carroll County, Mississippi and 52 slaves. He was married in 1840 to Mary Louisa McAllister (b. Alabama, 1812 – d. 1882).
McCain's older brother, William Alexander McCain, also attended the University of Mississippi before transferring to the United States Military Academy. William A. McCain would eventually retire with the rank of Brigadier General, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for actions in World War I, as well as the Oak Leaf Cluster during World War II.
He married Catherine Davey Vaulx who was eight years his senior (b. Fayetteville, Arkansas, 9 January 1876 – d. San Diego, California, 29 May 1959) on 9 August 1909 at Colorado Springs, Colorado.
His son, John S. McCain, Jr. was a submarine commander in World War II and later served as CINCPAC, Commander in Chief Pacific Command, during the Vietnam War.
His grandson, John S. McCain, III was a U.S. Navy pilot during the Vietnam war, and was shot down and spent over five years as a P.O.W. in the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" and other North Vietnamese camps. After his release, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and the United States Senate from Arizona. He ran for President in 2000 (losing the Republican nomination to George W. Bush). John S. McCain, III wrote a book, Faith of My Fathers, concerning his navy family and his own experiences as a Midshipman at Annapolis, a naval aviator and prisoner of war. John S. McCain, III is the presumptive Republican nominee for President in 2008.
John S. McCain III claims a royal connection on his campaign website: "McCain’s family roots in Europe are Scotch-Irish. His great-aunt was a descendant of Robert the Bruce, an early Scottish king. McCain's roots in America date to the American Revolution. John Young, an early McCain ancestor, served on Gen. George Washington's staff."[8] John Young's ancestry has been traced to John Lamont, Baron McGorrie (the "red baron of Inverchaolain and Knockdow"; 1540-1583).[9][10]
Great-grandson John "Jack" McCain is currently enrolled as a Midshipman at Annapolis, and his other great grandson, James McCain, enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2006, and began recruit training in September 2006.[11] He finished a tour of duty in Iraq in 2008.[12]
[edit] Awards
Navy Distinguished Service Medal with 2 Gold Stars
World War I Victory Medal with "Escort" clasp
Navy Occupation Service Medal with "Asia" clasp (posthumous)
[edit] References
[edit] Notes
- ^ Boatner, Biographical Dictionary, p. 351.
- ^ Boatner, Biographical Dictionary, p. 351.
- ^ Boatner, Biographical Dictionary, p. 351.
- ^ Boatner, Biographical Dictionary, p. 351.
- ^ Boatner, Biographical Dictionary, p. 351.
- ^ Boatner, Biographical Dictionary, p. 351.
- ^ USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), [1].
- ^ John McCain 2008:John McCain for President. Retrieved on 2007-07-05.
- ^ Ancestors of one Young family in America. Retrieved on 2007-07-05.
- ^ Ancestry of John McCain (b. 1936)
- ^ "Sen. McCain’s youngest son joins Marine Corps", Marine Corps Times, Associated Press, July 31, 2006. Retrieved on 2006-08-01.
- ^ "McCain win might stop sons from deploying", Navy Times, March 10, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-03-17.
[edit] Books
- Boatner, Mark M. (1996). The Biographical Dictionary of World War II. Novato, California: Presidio Press. ISBN 0-89141-548-3.
- Gilbert, Alton (2006). A Leader Born: The Life of Admiral John Sidney McCain, Pacific Carrier Commander. Casemate. ISBN 1932033505.
This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
[edit] Web
- Arlington National Cemetery (2007-10-17). John Sidney McCain. Retrieved on 2008-04-19.
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