These 10 photos show John McCain's heroism in Vietnam and his lasting impact on the US military

AP Photo

Senator John McCain, a US Navy hero and one of the nation's most influential Republicans, chose to forgo the medical treatment for advanced brain cancer, his family announced on August 24. It is the final chapter of a remarkable American life. McCain would rise from an admiral's son and Naval Academy midshipman to a decorated Navy captain and then a senator and Republican presidential nominee, who earned a reputation as a maverick who takes his own counsel. As a 31-year-old Navy pilot, McCain's plane was shot down on a bombing run, which began a searing five-year experience as a prisoner of war that would change the course of his life. He received a Silver Star for his heroism in captivity. He has been a defense hawk and one of Congress' most influential anti-torture voices — consistently opposing the kind of brutality he suffered in Vietnam. Tweet Embed: //twitter.com/mims/statuses/1033007621156962304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw I love my husband with all of my heart. God bless everyone who has cared for my husband along this journey. pic.twitter.com/v27sEbboii This is a look at his decorated war service and the lasting impact he's made on the armed services.

John McCain graduated from the Naval Academy in 1958.

John McCain hails from a storied military family.

His father, seen here as a rear admiral in 1961, would rise to the rank of admiral — like his own father — and lead US Pacific Command. 

McCain became a naval aviator and flew A-4 Skyhawks.

A-4 Skyhawks were US Navy carrier-based attack planes that flew some of the most dangerous missions in Vietnam. According to Naval History and Heritage Command, these subsonic jets were increasingly vulnerable to North Vietnam's air defenses by the mid-1960s and suffered the highest loss rate of any Navy plane in Vietnam. Thirty percent of the planes in McCain's squadron were battle casualties during the year he served.

On Oct. 26, 1967 McCain was on his twenty-third mission — a bombing mission over Hanoi. He took a calculated risk to attack his target at an altitude low enough to be struck by North Vietnamese missiles, and managed to release his bombs right before his plane was struck.

The missile struck one of the A-4's wings. McCain bailed out at high speed, according to Naval History and Heritage Command, which broke both his arms, his right leg and knocked him unconscious.

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