Aging Capriciously

For the next several days, I am going to wade into some lies and/or conspiracies that were spread to discredit, dishonor and destroy some outstanding people.  If you are tired of hearing about stuff like this, than turn me off for the next week or two.  My intention is to publish one of these stories every few days.  I was motivated to do these stories by some discussions with Trump supporters.  I was amazed at the number of conspiracy theories they believed in that I knew were false.

I am not sure why more information never gets made public to debunk such lies.  It seems the mainstream media does nothing to help dispel the vicious slander and conspiracy theories that are spread about men and women.  People who have the courage to attack a corrupt system or withhold their support for a corrupt system.

John McCain has been widely regarded by many people as a war hero.  Nevertheless, a surprising number of right-wing activists have spread stories to attack McCain’s war record and/or his integrity.  Some even called McCain a traitor.

What was Senator John McCain accused of?  Was it true?  Did he shoot off a rocket while his jet was getting ready to take off a carrier?  Was he ever charged with any war crimes?  Let’s look at some of the stories and then facts concerning each story.

Accusations & Allegations

1. Keating Five Scandal (1989)

McCain was one of five senators implicated in improperly advocating for Charles Keating and his Lincoln Savings and Loan during an ongoing federal investigation.

In 1991, the Senate Ethics Committee found that while others were reprimanded, McCain (and Sen. John Glenn) were cleared of wrongdoing—though they were criticized for poor judgment in meeting with regulators on behalf of Keating.  No criminal charges came from this—he was investigated but not charged.

2. POW-era “treason” or “war criminal” claims

Some groups (e.g. Vietnam Veterans Against John McCain) circulated allegations that McCain was a “songbird,” traitor, or collaborator while a prisoner in North Vietnam

These claims generally pointed to a coerced confession McCain signed during torture—not voluntary admission of guilt.

Fact‑checking outlets (Politifact, Snopes, FactCheck.org) have thoroughly debunked allegations of treason or collaboration, stating there is no evidence he committed wrongdoing, nor was he ever pardoned (no such pardon is documented).

3. The Forrestal “rocket” story

A widespread myth claims McCain fired off a rocket from his jet while preparing to take off from the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal.

In reality, on July 29, 1967, a Zuni rocket was accidentally launched from another jet and struck either McCain’s aircraft or the one next to it. The rocket did not detonate, but ignited fuel beneath the planes, triggering a catastrophic fire that killed 134 sailors and injured many.

Official accounts and McCain’s own writings make clear he was a victim of that accident, not the cause. There is no evidence he intentionally or recklessly launched any rocket

Facts in summary

Allegation       Verdict

• Keating Five corruption – Senate ethics: cleared of improper action, criticized for poor judgment; no charges
• Signing coerced confession / treason – False, coerced under torture; no crime, no pardon, fully debunked
• Rocket launch causing Forrestal fire – False, rocket came from another aircraft; McCain was a survivor, not cause

Final Answer in Plain Terms

Was he ever officially charged with a crime or wrongdoing?

No. He was investigated in the Keating Five matter and admonished for judgment—but not charged with any crime.

Did he fire a rocket while on the carrier?

Misleading myth. That explosion was caused by an accidental rocket from another plane striking near him—not a rocket he fired.

Were accusations of treason or being a collaborator ever proven?

No. They stem from discredited smear campaigns and misinterpretation of a coerced confession during his imprisonment.  Fact‐check organizations have repeatedly ruled them false.

A Comment Left by A Reader Which is Very Pertinent to This Discussion:

The idea of someone like John McCain being considered a traitor is simply beyond the pale. It made me sick to my stomach when that despicable excuse for a human being currently in the WH called him a loser because he got caught. 

John McCain was war hero and also devoted his entire life to public service. I’ve been to Vietnam and I’ve toured the torture chamber McCain was held in that was given the euphemism of ‘prison’. It’s staggering in its cruelty. The facility was actually build by the French oppressors decades earlier to torture uncooperative Vietnamese in their own country. McCain refused an offer to be released early, because he wouldn’t abandon his fellow prisoners. He was there for years; it’s impossible to imagine once you’ve been there. If he’s not a war hero I don’t know who is.