The story

Born the son and grandson of admirals, Sen. John McCain has been driven by a sense of duty his entire life.

Born in the Panama Canal Zone in 1936 while his father was stationed there, McCain has a family legacy that took him to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. After graduating in 1958, he became a Navy fighter pilot and volunteered to serve in Vietnam.

In what may be the defining event in his life, McCain was shot down while flying a combat mission over Vietnam in 1967. He was captured by the Communist Viet Cong and spent 5½ years in a prisoner of war camp, where he was often tortured. Read full article »

All About John McCain • U.S. Presidential Election • Vietnam