We have just watched the passage into history of a complicated man, a man whose personality and purpose both won over and angered people. And, of course, as his eulogists demonstrated, his life has been freighted with politics right through the ceremony in the National Cathedral today.

I never met John McCain III myself, though I met his father in the Philippines in 1967, while my unit (3rd Battalion, First Marines) was refitting to fight from the sea. I believe he was Commander in Chief of the Pacific Fleet then, and our Task Group was under his chain of command.  We had a few drinks over conversation in the Subic Bay Officer’s Club as he wished us well on our coming special landing force missions. I cannot recall the date of that get together, but it had to have been very nearly the time his son was captured in late autumn.

It is not hard to think of John McCain III in the way the many pilots of my Marine cohort from our USMC Basic School Class 1-67 (July-November 1966) saw and pictured themselves. No doubt McCain, as do my aviator Marine comrades, spoke not of “getting into their aircraft” but of “strapping them on.” Fearless, confident, and in an intimate relationship!

Whatever John McCain’s qualities and positions, he is one of the most, if not the most prominent, symbols of my war-fighting generation. So my USMC flag, with black mourning ribbon, is up in front of our house in tribute to that A-4 pilot and in memory of many others from our day, including our Basic School fliers.

(Please be sure to read the comment I added to this post on 2 September recounting a Basic School classmate’s encounter with Lt. McCain more than five decades ago. It is a great story.)

And with the same kind of thoughts, Tracy and I decided yesterday to run down to the District and book into a Marriot that is a 10-minute walk away from the Vietnam War Memorial Wall to observe Cindy McCain’s placement of a wreath honoring Vietnam casualties and veterans at about 8:45 a.m.  It turned out to be a quiet, yet solemn, event, with observers lining the chained-off greensward leading down to the wall and the walkway by it.

People gathered early around the Memorial Wall. It was a quiet and seemingly reflective group of all ages.

The procession had left Capitol Hill at about 8:30 a.m., arriving at the Memorial shortly before nine. Secretary of Defense Mattis and White House Chief of Staff Kelly escorted Cindy McCain to the prepositioned wreath, and she saw to its proper placement and paused to pay respects. From our range (and with my eyes) it was a bit hard to see, but the remembrance offered to fellow Vietnam Veterans was touching.

It didn’t take long for many present to add their own sentiments. 

After the funeral party left, Tracy and I moved to Panels 14E and 15E to pay respects to Marines close to my experience, 2nd Lt. Earl F. Smith, from my Basic School Class— the first of our Basic School cohort to die in combat—and Cpl. Charles P.  Alexander —the first member of the platoon that I led in Vietnam,  Lima/1, 3/1, to die under my command.

We then returned to the cool comfort of our hotel to watch the memorial service at the National Cathedral.  We would hear all the powerful and moving eulogies of leaders Senator McCain came to respect and befriend. I can only hope their words will ring powerfully among our leaders today—as the ideals expressed were the high ideals that took John McCain III and so many others into service and sacrifice.

Semper fidelis,
Andy