I can recall what I was doing on March 14, 1973. I was sitting in front on my television in Durango, Colorado. I was assigned to this area with the U.S. Navy. My wife, Terry and I were seated on the couch together, she being pregnant with out youngest daughter. We watched in anticipation as the names were announced of those that had been held as Prisoners of War debarked from the aircraft. That day, I removed a bracelet that I had worn for the previous two years bearing the name of one of those prisoners, he was home, free at last after over two years of being held as a prisoner. Intelligence services of the United States can account for 820 Americans being taken prisoner by North Vietnam, on March 14, 1973 there was 543 prisoners released, the remaining 277 have not been accounted for.

Unknown to me at the time, is that one of those prisoners that deplaned that day would be my Commanding Officer within the next year. Commander "Marty" Lewis, a Navy F-4 pilot flying off the carrier, U.S.S. Coral Sea. A ship that I would serve on in later years. He walked with a limp, but he stood proud because he now realized the definition of "freedom". He was shot down over Vietnam on October 24, 1967 and released on March 14, 1973 after serving 1,968 days as a Prisoner of War.

On this same day, March 14, 1973, another Prisoner of War was released. He was also a Navy pilot, from the carrier U.S.S. Oriskany (CVA34). He was shot down two days following Commander Lewis while on a mission over the City of Hanoi, North Vietnam. He was confined to the "Hanoi Hilton" for the duration, also being released on March 14, 1973 after serving 1,966 days as a prisoner. His name was Commander John S. McCain III, the current presidential nomination of the Republican Party.

Both of these men, despite their wounds and lack of medical attention, would return to active duty until retirement at the rank of Captain, U.S. Navy. Commander McCain would become the Commanding Officer of a Navy Aircraft Squadron prior to his retirement. Commander Lewis served one additional tour of duty prior to his retirement. Since my transfer from his command, I have lost contact with him, but I do wish him and his family well.

Following the retirement of Captain McCain, he would move to Arizona and enter the political arena. While running in his first race as a candidate for the House of Representatives, a heckler in the audience shouted out that he was a "carpet bagger" and that he had not lived in Arizona very long. John S. McCain answered the heckler with this statement, "Listen pal, I spent 22 years in the Navy. My father was in the Navy. My grandfather was in the Navy. We in the military service tend to move a lot. We have to live in all parts of the country, all parts of the world. I wish I could have had the luxury, like you growing up and living and spending my entire life in a nice place like the First District of Arizona, but I was doing other things. As a matter of fact, when I think about it now, the place that I lived the longest in my life was Hanoi."

These are only the introductions of two men that came home on March 14, 1973, there are still 541 stories to be told of the other survivors. We can only hope that the stories of the other 277 men that did not come home will be known and told someday.


Since, Senator John S. McCain is a current candidate for President of the United States, I am also posting an article of "his roots" that perhaps you will not hear during this campaign season. It will give you a little personal insight into the man as well as history that perhaps you were not aware of. Since these posting will b lengthy, they will be done as a series of three. Thank You for your patience. "One should never take their freedom for granted."