John S. McCain, Sr.

Infobox Military Person
name= John S. McCain Sr.
lived= birth date|1884|8|9 – death date and age|1945|9|6|1884|8|9
placeofbirth= Carroll County, Mississippi
placeofdeath= Coronado, California


caption=
nickname= "Slew"
allegiance= United States of America
branch= United States Navy
serviceyears= 1906–1945
rank= Admiral
commands= 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
unit=
battles= World War I
World War II
* Pacific War
* Guadalcanal Campaign
* Mariana Campaign
* Philippines Campaign
* Battle of Okinawa
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.

McCain was a pioneer of aircraft carrier operationsTimberg, "An American Odyssey", [http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/t/timberg-mccain.html pp. 17–34.] ] who in 1942 commanded all land-based air operations in support of the Guadalcanal campaign, and who ultimately in 1944–1945 aggressively led the Fast Carrier Task Force, in the Pacific Ocean theater of World War II. His operations off the Philippines and Okinawa, and air strikes against Formosa and the Japanese home islands, caused tremendous destruction of Japanese naval and air forces in the closing period of the war.Alexander, "Man of the People", pp. 13–14.] His death four days after the Japanese surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay was front page news.

He is the father of Admiral John S. McCain, Jr.; they became the first father-son pair ever to achieve four star admiral rank in the U.S. Navy. He is the grandfather of U.S. Senator from Arizona and and 2008 Republican Presidential nominee John S. McCain III.

Early life and career

McCain was born in Carroll County, Mississippi, the son of plantation owner [ [http://www.johnmccain.com/informing/News/PressReleases/64028c86-3a90-4a30-9528-28bb52820c4b.htm John McCain 2008 - John McCain for President ] at www.johnmccain.com] John Sidney McCain (b. Mississippi, 1851 – d. 1934) and wife Elizabeth-Ann Young (b. Mississippi, 1855 – d. 1922), who married in 1877. He attended the University of Mississippi and then the United States Naval Academy, which graduated him in 1906.

Soon after earning his commission, McCain sailed aboard the Great White Fleet's world cruise from 1907 to 1909. His next assignment was to the Asiatic Squadron, after which the Navy ordered him to the naval base at San Diego, California. During the First World War, he served on convoy duty in the Atlantic.

In the 1920s and early 1930s, McCain served aboard USS "Maryland", USS "New Mexico", and USS "Nitro". His first command was 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 of the Atlantic Fleet. [ Boatner, "Biographical Dictionary", p. 351.]

World War II and the conclusion of his career and his life

After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the Navy appointed McCain as Commander, Aircraft, South Pacific in May 1942. As COMAIRSOPAC, he commanded all land-based Allied air operations supporting the Guadalcanal campaign in the Solomon Islands and south Pacific area. Aircraft under McCain's command, including the Cactus Air Force, located at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal, were key in supporting the successful effort to defend Guadalcanal from Japanese efforts to retake the island during this time. Boatner, "Biographical Dictionary", p. 351.]

In October 1942, the Navy ordered him to Washington, D.C. to head the Bureau of Aeronautics. In August 1943, he became Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air with the rank of vice admiral.

McCain returned to combat in the Pacific in August 1944 with his appointment as commander of a carrier group in Marc Mitscher's Task Force 58 (TF 58), 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. At the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Admiral William Halsey left in pursuit of a decoy force, leaving Rear Admiral Clifton "Ziggy" Sprague's Task Unit 77.4.3 (usually referred to by its radio callsign, "Taffy 3") to continue supporting forces ashore, defended by only a light screen of destroyers and destroyer escorts.

Taffy 3 came under attack from a much heavier Japanese force, under Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita, provoking the Battle off Samar. Sprague promptly began to plead for assistance from Halsey who had promised to organize a heavy protective group, Task Force 34 (TF 34), but neglected to authorize or detach it before turning north to follow the decoys. Hearing Sprague's pleas (including messages in plain language, not even bothering to encrypt them, as the situation grew desperate), Admiral Nimitz sent Halsey a terse message, "Turkey trots to water GG From CinCPac Action Com Third Fleet Info Cominch CTF Seventy-Seven. Where is task force Thirty-four RR The world wonders". Halsey was infuriated (not recognizing the final phrase as padding, chosen for the anniversary of the Charge of the Light Brigade) and sent McCain's Task Group 58.1 (TG 58.1) to assist. [ McCain and Salter, "Faith of My Fathers", 40–41.]

McCain had been monitoring the original pleas for help and, recognizing the seriousness of the situation, had turned around without awaiting orders. [This makes one wonder at Halsey's claim of being unaware.] His ships raced downwind towards the battle, briefly turning into the wind to recover returning planes. At 10:30, a force of Helldivers, Avengers, and Hellcats was launched from "Hornet", "Hancock", and "Wasp" at the extreme range of 330 miles (610 km). Though the attack did little damage, it strengthened Kurita's decision to retire. [cite web
url= http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/w3/wasp-ix.htm
title= "Wasp"
date= 2005-05-11 | work= DANFS
publisher= U.S. Naval Historical Center
accessdate= 2008-09-04 ]

On October 30, 1944 McCain assumed command of TF 38. He retained command of the fast carrier task force that he led through the Battle of Okinawa and raids on the Japanese mainland.

While conducting operations off the Philippines, McCain as Chief of Staff of Third Fleet, participated in Halsey's decision to keep the combined naval task force on station rather than avoid a major storm, Typhoon Cobra (later known also as "Halsey's Typhoon") which was approaching the area. The storm sank three destroyers and inflicted heavy damage on many other ships. Some 800 men were lost, in addition to 146 aircraft. A Navy court of inquiry found that while Halsey committed an error of judgment in sailing into the typhoon, it stopped short of unambiguously recommending sanction. [Drury, "Halsey's Typhoon".]

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.

During his career McCain was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal and two Gold Stars in lieu of subsequent awards. [ USS "John S. McCain" (DDG 56), [http://navysite.de/dd/ddg56.htm] .]

Family and marriage

His grandfather, William Alexander McCain (b. North Carolina, 1812 – d. 1863), died while serving as a private in Company I, 5th Regiment, Mississippi Cavalry, Confederate States Army. During his life, he owned a convert|2000|acre|km2|sing=on plantation in Carroll County, Mississippi known alternately as "Teoc" (the Choctaw name for the creek it was located upon) and "Waverly", as well as 52 slaves. He was married in 1840 to Mary Louisa McAllister (b. Alabama, 1812 – d. 1882). William's son, the first John Sidney McCain, known as J.S. McCain (which may explain the apparent discrepancy in Senator John S. McCain being the III, rather than the IV), served as Sheriff and, later, President of the Board of Supervisors of Carroll County.

McCain's older brother, another 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. An uncle, Henry Pickney McCain (b. Mississippi, 1861 – d. 1941), also attended West Point and later retired from the Army as a Major-General. Camp McCain, a WWII training base and current Mississippi National Guard training site, located in Grenada County, Mississippi, is named for him.

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 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." [cite web |url=http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/News/newsletters/d6a77755-db50-4a46-a9ca-089910c7d121.htm |title=John McCain 2008:John McCain for President |accessdate=2007-07-05] John Young's ancestry has been traced to John Lamont, Baron McGorrie (the "red baron of Inverchaolain and Knockdow"; 1540–1583). [cite web |url=http://www.geocities.com/charryoung/early.html |title=Ancestors of one Young family in America |accessdate=2007-07-05] [ [http://www.wargs.com/political/mccain.html Ancestry of John McCain (b. 1936) ] ] Great-grandson John Sidney "Jack" McCain IV is currently enrolled as a Midshipman at Annapolis, and his other great grandson, James Hensley "Jimmy" McCain, enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2006, and began recruit training in September 2006. [cite news
url=http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-1990039.php |title=Sen. McCain’s youngest son joins Marine Corps
work=Marine Corps Times |publisher=Associated Press |date=July 31 2006|accessdate=2006-08-01] He finished a tour of duty in Iraq in 2008. [cite news
url=http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/03/marine_mccainskids_030808/ |title=McCain win might stop sons from deploying |work=Navy Times |publisher= |date=March 10 2008|accessdate=2008-03-17]

Namesakes

McCain Field, the operations center at Naval Air Station Meridian was named in his honor.

The guided-missile destroyer USS "John S. McCain" (DDG-36) (in service 1953–1978) was named for him, and the destroyer USS "John S. McCain" (DDG-56) (in service 1994–present) was named for both of the Admirals John S. McCain.

Awards

*

* with 2 Gold Stars

* with "Escort" clasp

*

*

*

*

* with "Asia" clasp (posthumous)

References

Notes

Books

*cite book |title = Man of the People: The Life of John McCain |first = Paul |last = Alexander |authorlink=Paul Alexander |isbn = 0-471-22829-X |year = 2002 |publisher = John Wiley & Sons|location=Hoboken, New Jersey
*cite book
last = Boatner
first = Mark M.
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 1996
chapter =
title = The Biographical Dictionary of World War II
publisher = Presidio Press
location = Novato, California
id = ISBN 0-89141-548-3
*cite book
url=http://www.amazon.com/Halseys-Typhoon-Fighting-Admiral-Untold/dp/0871139480
author=Robert Drury, Tom Clavin
title=Halsey's Typhoon: The True Story of a Fighting Admiral, an Epic Storm, and an Untold Rescue
year=2006
publisher=Atlantic Monthly Press
isbn=0871139480
*cite book
last = Gilbert
first = Alton
authorlink =
coauthors =
year = 2006
chapter =
title = A Leader Born: The Life of Admiral John Sidney McCain, Pacific Carrier Commander
publisher = Casemate
location =
id = ISBN 1932033505
*cite book | last=McCain | first=John | authorlink=John McCain |coauthors =Salter, Mark | title=Faith of My Fathers | publisher=Random House | year=1999 |location=New York | isbn=0-375-50191-6
*cite book |last=Timberg |first=Robert |title= |publisher=Touchstone Books |year=1999 |location=New York |isbn=0-684-86794-X Online access to [http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/t/timberg-mccain.html Chapter 1] is available.

Web

*cite web
last = Arlington National Cemetery
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
date = 2007-10-17
year =
month =
url = http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/jsmccain.htm
title = John Sidney McCain
format =
work =
pages =
publisher =
language =
accessdate = 2008-04-19
accessyear =