The Hanoi Hilton's Hero - John McCain

The Hanoi Hilton is a nickname of The Hoa Lo Prison at Hanoi, North Vietnam. Hoa Lo was located at Hoa Lo street, which put the prison in an interesting position. This prison not too far from Hoan Kiem Lake. The name, Hoa Lo, means "portable earthen stove". This prison was built in 1896 by the French colonists. The French built this prison to house anti colonial revolutionaries. Some of the aging leaders of the Communist government in Hanoi were imprisoned there during the French era. Then, in the Vietnam War this prison used as the prison of American prisoners were held by the North Vietnamese. The prison housed 300 American pilots at various periods during the war. The most famous prisoner was John McCain, 2008 Republican presidential nominee. In this prison, John McCain spent parts of his five and a half years as a POW.

In October 1967, McCain was flying his twenty-third mission, attack against the Yen Phu thermal power plant in central Hanoi. Unfortunelly, McCain was shot down over Hanoi and landed in the Hoan Kim lake. Several Vietnamese, pulled him ashore. Then, He was transported to Hoa Lo Prison. McCain reached Hoa Lo in a bad physical condition. He was badly injured. He had two broken legs, a broken arm and had been bayoneted when he was pulled up of the lake. Although the interrogators said that he will not receive any medical treatment until he talk, McCain refused to give them anything except his name, rank, serial number and date of birth.

From the beginning, the prisoners endured poor conditions, including poor food and unsanitary conditions. Food was watery soup and bread. Prisoners were variously isolated, starved, beaten, tortured for countless hoursand paraded in anti-American propaganda.For the prisoners, the greatest torture was the isolation. Thats why, the prisoners developed secret ways to communicate. They communicated by tapping on the walls of their cells. McCain had lost over 50 pounds in this very poor condition. He also had dysentery and his hair turned white. Most of the time he was in solitary cells. He spent years living in this uninhabitable cells. When the North Vietnamese discovered that his father was a top admiral, the interrogators forced McCain to confess "his crimes" and asked if he wanted to go home to be with his family. But, McCain rejected their offer (an amazing commitment to honor and duty). He not wanting to give the North Vietnamese a propaganda victory. For his refusal, the interrogators bounced him from pillar to post, kicking and laughing and scratching. His left arm was broken again. McCain was finally released from captivity on March 15, 1973, after The Paris Peace Accords were signed.

John McCain was true American who sacrificed everything for our country. His military service in the Vietnam era has been one of his enduring political liabilities. As we know, the Hanoi Hilton could not break John McCain's resolve to do what is best for his country. He has an integrity, patriotism and sense of honor.