Question for DUers: Do you consider John McCain to be a war hero?

[oberliner]

2008: John McCain Is NOT a 'War Hero'

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6546045

2008: McCain...'war hero'?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2929570

2008: John McCain: War Hero or War Criminal?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3155189

2013: John McCain - War hero or something less?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022925946

[pipoman]

1. John McCain served our country, endured being a prisoner of war,

And for that he deserves and has my gratitude. I don't owe him anything including my agreement or my vote and he doesn't get either.

[peacebird]

3. Same.

[oberliner]

5. That's pretty much my opinion as well

I really wonder if this comment will sink Trump quickly or if he still holds on.

[DashOneBravo]

7. + 1

[Cleita]

10. Well said.

He gets my respect for serving his country and enduring POW status. but he will never get my vote or approval of his warhawk stance.

[msanthrope]

15. Well said. nt

[yeoman6987]

27. Totally agree

War hero. Yes.
Senator hero. No way! Horrible senator in fact.

[LeftOfWest]

66. pipoman never said the words war hero.

those are YOUR words.

pipoman's post rocks.

[treestar]

45. This ^^^^^^^^^

[susanna]

63. This ^^ n/t

[dmosh42]

73. He was a POW during the Vietnam war, but received such attention due to his father being a well....

known US Navy admiral in the Pacific during WW2.

[former9thward]

100. That was his grandfather.

His father was an Admiral commanding U.S. Pacific naval forces during the Vietnam war.

[Generic Brad]

86. I respect him for surviving a horrible situation

But self preservation is not heroic. Self sacrifice is.

[goldent]

97. Well, he did refuse to be released early for propaganda purposes

This was inline with US military code, but his refusal lead to more torture. I'll give him a +1

[Scootaloo]

2. No, but I won't shitbag him for being a PoW like Trump is doing

[truegrit44]

12. Ditto...........eom

[Gormy Cuss]

85. Yeah, that's the thing -- whether to categorize him as a 'war hero' isn't the core issue for me.

It's the despicable shift of responsibility for his POW status because in Trump's mind he allowed himself to be captured rather than die in a blaze of glory.

[riderinthestorm]

4. IMO, no. But he has legitimately earned respect for his service and being a POW nt

[GreatGazoo]

6. My answer is the more offensive part of Trump's statement was that POWs were less "war hero"

[oberliner]

9. Yeah that was crazy

I cannot imagine people still supporting him after insulting POWs.

[4139]

21. Yes! Trump is insane.

[Historic NY]

82. Exactly and declaring it...

[Fred Sanders]

8. The lost irony is that in McCain's 6 years in captivity he appeared numerous times as a prop for

VC propaganda, but there are more than a few folks, some POW's among them, that find the "prop" part questionable.

I have no opinion, personally, about what "war hero" should mean, mainly because all war creates victims, not heroes, but a ton of Tea Party folks have one, for sure.

Attacking Trump for attacking McCain after mostly refusing to do much about Trump's most recent and loud birtherism, racism, and xenophobia, as well as massive hypocrisy, is also attacking the base.

Aren't Republicans still biting their own arse anyway, how is this any better for them to attack their base on this issue?

[former9thward]

101. Like making up stuff, don't you.

Why don't you give us some links to credible people to back up your charges? The only people who say the shit you did are far right wing websites.

[Fred Sanders]

103. The Guardian, 2008:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/oct/14/uselections2008-johnmccain

http://www.alternet.org/story/95825/i_spent_years_as_a_pow_with_john_mccain,_and_his_finger_should_not_be_near_the_red_button

[former9thward]

107. From your first link:

However, recommending McCain for a medal after the war, his former cellmate, the much-decorated Colonel George Day, said the admiral's son had forced his interrogators to "drug him and torture him to get any cooperation", according to a letter in the US National Archives cited earlier this year by the Washington Post. Day said McCain suffered "torturous abuse".

The guard is a pathetic liar but you believe him. Not surprising.

From your second link:

He was subjected to torture and maltreatment during his first 2 years, from September of 1967 to September of 1969.

John McCain served his time as a POW with great courage, loyalty and tenacity.

You sure you wanted to give that link? Blows your post out of the water.

[petronius]

11. As much as I feel that "hero" is something of an overused word in media

and general discourse these days, I'm not qualified--having never been in the military, much less near a war--to parse out who does and who does not deserve to be called a "war hero"; I'll leave those determinations to people with the experience to know.

What I can say is that McCain went to war when he could probably (albeit with difficulty, given his family) could have avoided it, he did his duty, and he stood up as best as he could to treatment and experiences that I prefer not to imagine. So slagging him for his military record not being 'good enough' is ridiculous, particularly from a troll like Trump...

[LuvNewcastle]

41. That's exactly how I feel about it.

[treestar]

47. True, especially when Trump didn't fucking go himself

jerk

[1939]

93. I lost four college classmates (and friends) in VN

Plus one who was shot down and a POW for many years and suffered torture and who can hardly walk today because of that.

The one who was shot down and two of the deaths were the individuals just doing their jobs and serving their country in time of war. Their deaths were the result of misfortune which occurred as they were just doing their jobs as a part of their service. I mourn their loss and respect their service and their sacrifice, but don't consider them to be "heroes" as it has been classically defined.

Two of the deaths were individuals who were performing an act above and beyond what their services called for and met their deaths because of their special voluntary acts, those two I consider to be "heroes".

I served two tours in Vietnam and consider myself an honorable veteran who served my country but in no way a "hero".

[DavidDvorkin]

13. Fuck, no

He "served his country" by bombing civilians in an evil war.

[yeoman6987]

31. So did a million other through no choice

[DavidDvorkin]

32. McCain had the choice

And he did it willingly. Happily, I gather.

Did those millions bomb innocent civilians? Not the vast majority, I think.

[yeoman6987]

37. Actually he had zero "enemy" hits

I use enemy because that is what the official use is not that I agree with the use. I have said that I think he is a hero I. His past. But is a horrible senator.

[DavidDvorkin]

38. Meaning that his bombs didn't kill anyone on the ground?

Was that for lack of trying? Or did he just not succeed in what he was trying to do?

[yeoman6987]

40. I don't know. Probably bad aim but I was not there.

[raouldukelives]

53. That is the crucial distinction for me as well.

Being drafted is one thing. Applying for employment is quite another.

[Deadshot]

14. I do not consider him a war hero.

[Adrahil]

16. A hero?

Not really. But he served honorably through some very tough shit!

[dembotoz]

17. Hero yes but that does not preclude his being an idiot

[Recursion]

18. He refused an early exchange that he was offered

That counts, in my book. Still doesn't get him my vote.

[truebluegreen]

25. FYI almost all refused early release.

"John was offered, and refused, "early release." Many of us were given this offer. It meant speaking out against your country and lying about your treatment to the press. You had to "admit" that the U.S. was criminal and that our treatment was "lenient and humane." So I, like numerous others, refused the offer. This was obviously something none of us could accept. Besides, we were bound by our service regulations, Geneva Conventions and loyalties to refuse early release until all the POW's were released, with the sick and wounded going first."

(my bold)

http://www.alternet.org/story/95825/i_spent_years_as_a_pow_with_john_mccain,_and_his_finger_should_not_be_near_the_red_button

[Recursion]

26. Yup. I admire them for that (nt)

[truebluegreen]

30. I do as well

and all the more the ones who don't base their career on it while pretending not to.

Not a fan of McCain: he served honorably, I think, but my problems are with what came after.

[lpbk2713]

19. He's not worthy of the contempt shown by that asshole Trump.

Trump is a sleazebag opportunist to say the very least.

[Walk away]

20. No. nt

[H2O Man]

22. Good question. Recommended.

I think the question in the OP, and the various responses, make for one of the more interesting of discussions on this forum in recent times. Thank you for that.

McCain is, in my opinion, a complex character. I can't judge young men who believed their government in that era, and went to fight in Vietnam, in a negative light. The politicians? Absolutely. They were either ignorant, or fans of war; neither justifies sending US forces to Vietnam to kill or be killed.

I respect McCain for his strength as a POW. I have no problem with anyone calling him a hero. I am not big on anyone who would degrade him for that.

As a politician, although he is obviously a republican, there have been instances where I thought he was doing what he believed best for the people of this nation. There were even a few times when I agreed with him.

I felt that he was treated like shit in the 2000 republican primary. The odd thing was, rather than split completely from those who fucked him, in his bitterness, McCain became more like his enemies.

Strange man.

[oberliner]

34. Thanks!

I thought it would be an interesting topic for discussion as well.

[restorefreedom]

23. yes

he went to war unlike trump, w, or darth vader who all managed to avoid it. he served with honor, was brutalized for years as a pow, and has served as a civil servant. as much i disagree with his politics and his hawkishness, i will not impune his service to this country.

I would also like to point out that he was the only Republican who had the guts to stand up to the right wing crazies in the last election when he pointed out to the woman in the town hall meeting that Obama was not an arab or a Muslim (no that there is anything wrong with being either but of course she meant it as some kind of insult). mccain said he was a good American who just disagreed with him on some issues. None of the other cretinous Republicans had the guts to say that.

[MADem]

24. I think anyone who goes in harm's way, is grievously wounded, tortured by the enemy, thrown into

solitary confinement, not given the medical treatment mandated by the Geneva Conventions, is fed poorly to the point that they lose nearly a third of their body weight, and who comes out of the experience broken but unbowed, IS a hero.

I'm probably in the DU minority here, but so what.

I don't think much of his conduct towards his first wife, or his behavior in his staff job in DC, after he got home--that was decidedly unheroic. I don't care for his political views ONE bit. I think his warmongering comments are offensive. He has an awful temper and that's a negative trait, too. I think his choice of VP was dumber than dirt. I can't imagine a circumstance where I'd want to see him in any federal leadership role--not in the cabinet, not in the White House. I'd like to see him retire, frankly. But that doesn't take away from the fact that he acquitted himself well in a scenario where most of us who have served and know they could have been called upon to behave honorably might not have been able to cut it under those circumstances, and I include myself in that number.

I think what Trump said was dispicable. Shameful. Disgraceful. I know damn well Trump would not last two minutes enduring the torture, never mind having to endure the years of brutal imprisonment that JM did.

[tammywammy]

28. +1

Same sentiment here.

[Warren DeMontague]

70. I agree with you.

I respect the man's service. Doesn't mean I want him as President or would even vote for him for school board. But he certainly deserves respect for his Vietnam service, conduct and all he endured.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

29. No. He was a sailor who followed orders.

He who joyfully marches to music in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would fully suffice. This disgrace to civilization should be done away with at once. Heroism at command, senseless brutality, deplorable love-of-country stance, how violently I hate all this, how despicable and ignoble war is; I would rather be torn to shreds than be a part of so base an action! It is my conviction that killing under the cloak of war is nothing but an act of murder.

Albert Einstein

[Telcontar]

84. One of the more dispicable quotes by A.E.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

92. Really? I'm rather fond of it.

[Telcontar]

109. Wonder if he'd feel the same way if he was in a camp when 3rd Army came marching in

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

110. Who knows?

I wonder how he'd feel if he was in Warsaw when the SS arrived. Or, in My Lai when the U.S. Army arrived. I wonder how McCain felt when he was bombing Hanoi.

[Telcontar]

111. He wans't tho, so he disparages the millions who served

to make this a better world.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

112. Like McCain?

Was he making the world better? How about Calley?

[Telcontar]

114. Like Eisenhower

Like MacArthur

Yes, the ydid

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

118. So, McCain was dropping bombs to "make the world a better place"?

How did that work out?

By the way, I did "serve" for 4 years and I guarantee that my service did not make the world a better place unless you consider enriching the MIC "better". How about you?

[Telcontar]

119. Seeing as how I'm in Afghanistan right now

Working to strengthen the forces of democracy against the savages, yeah, I'd say I'm doing a good job making the world a better place.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

120. Does that make you a "hero"?

[Telcontar]

121. Yup

Worship me

[Agnosticsherbet]

33. John McCain is a Veteran and former POW.

Whether he is a hero is irrelavant.
Trump is a slimy, monumental asswipe.

[HassleCat]

35. I don't like this "one true hero" business

This is what they did to John Kerry, implying his purple heart awards were not for serious wounds, questioning his courage under fire, saying he wasn't gung-ho enough, etc. Somewhere, there is a guy who had both arms and both legs shot off by enemy fire, yet still managed to make his way to an enemy machine gun position and destroy it, while singing the Star Spangled Banner. Yeah, that guy is a hero, but so are many other people who did less dramatic things. I don't like this idea of "drawing the hero line" for any reason, but particularly political reasons.

[Sunlei]

36. I consider every POW a War Hero.

[TeamPooka]

57. This. +1000 nt

[Depaysement]

39. Yes

Sunlei is spot on.

If you were a POW you are a war hero.

[copernicusrev]

42. Definitely not.

Closer to a warmonger.

[dem in texas]

43. Yes, He is a war Hero, but I wouldn't vote for him

He stepped to the plate and served our country in an unpopular war. He spent 5 years as a captive, endured torture and the Viet Cong caused permanent damage to his body. How can anyone question if he is a war hero?

But.. I would never, ever vote for him.

[Warren Stupidity]

44. No. He did nothing heroic.

He volunteered to bomb a country in a war of aggression. That is a war crime. He was shot down and captured. What part of that was heroic?

[oasis]

46. Audie Murphy, Sgt. York, Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain: war heroes distingused in battle.

One can argue that just putting yourself into harm's way in wartime automatically makes you a hero. In such case, there are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of heroes.

[tavernier]

48. Yes.

He deserves my respect and gratitude. But not my vote. He makes bad decisions, even beyond Palin.

[roamer65]

49. Both are jerks, Trump and McCain.

Let them have their tiff. I could care less. McCain was a POW from a useless conflict who served honorably. Honestly, I do think it has affected his judgement in later years...and not in the positive direction.

[bluedigger]

50. No, he did nothing above and beyond the call of duty.

Coming under fire and putting himself in harm's way was the least that was expected of him. He did what was asked and little more. His service record is mediocre at best. He still doesn't deserve the contempt of a chickenhawk like Trump, however.

[bravenak]

51. No.

[elehhhhna]

52. he was a pow. loves his country. for this deserves respect.

[Person 2713]

54. I consider Trump a big fat zero that much I will say

[doc03]

55. Of course he was a POW. I liked him as a Senator up

until he picked Palin as his VP.

[HooptieWagon]

56. He was a totally incompetent pilot.

So he saved many American lives by being captured. I guess that's sorta like being a hero.

[Fred Sanders]

108. All his previous sorties were against civilian targets, so you are right. Lives, in a strange twist,were saved.

[xenoturkey]

58. No, but still.

I don't consider any member of the military to be a hero. That doesn't make Trump look less like an idiot in this instance. McCain served and and that at least engenders the slightest modicum of respect. I disagree everything that McCain stands for but attacking his service jacket is out of line IMO.

[dilby]

59. He is as much of a hero as the 5 men who died this week.

He volunteered to serve his country just like they did and he paid a price, I won't take that from him and neither should a 5 deferment hamster driving a turnip truck.

[rbrnmw]

60. lol

a 5 deferment hamster driving a turnip truck

[Initech]

61. I'll consider him a war hero when the GOP extends the same courtesy to John Kerry.

[akbacchus_BC]

62. I think John McCain should be left alone! I have no idea if he is a war hero!

He is old, he will never be the President of the US and let us not waste time on him. Very sure, his own (Trump) will do him in, and Trump will be going away very soon. The GOP is dead unless Jeb Bush can gain momentum and I do not see that happening soon.

[Lancero]

64. Nope. I'll admit that he was once deserving of respect for having survived being a PoW...

But he has since burned through all that respect by his actions.

That said, War Hero depends on the definition. The accepted one is a person who is admired for brave actions during a war.

Getting captured and tortured isn't a sign of bravery. Surviving it is a sign of strength, and that he didn't break during his torture is worthy of respect (Respect that, as above, he's since burned through).

[akbacchus_BC]

65. That was a nice tribute to Cain, however, he is President material!

Last edited Sun Jul 19, 2015, 04:55 AM - Edit history (1)

I should have said, he is 'not' Presidential material. Typo and my apologies

[a2liberal]

67. Typo?

please double-check your post... it got alerted on and it seems you got the benefit of doubt from the jury...

[akbacchus_BC]

69. I corrected my post but have no

idea why it got alerted. It was a genuine mistake on my part and thanks anyways.

[a2liberal]

71. yw and thanks

glad I was right... was pretty sure it was a typo, but can also see how someone who didn't look really closely and look at your history would be touchy about a post that seems to be advocating McCain for president...

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

68. I think John McCain is a great man who fell into a Nixonian partisan black hole

I have met him a number of times, I liked him.

[bemildred]

72. No. There is nothing heroic about war. nt

[oberliner]

74. What about this?

A unit is informed that a nearby civilian structure is about to be attacked. The soldiers enter the facility and evacuate all of the civilians to safety. In doing so, it is possible that they themselves might be killed in the process, but they risk their own lives in order to ensure that these innocent people are not killed. Is that not heroic?

[bemildred]

76. That is what any decent person would do.

It shows courage, is is not heroic or anywhere near it.

[oberliner]

78. Doesn't "heroic" mean "showing great courage"?

A person who risks their own lives to rescue people they don't know shows great courage, in my opinion, and, thus, is a hero.

Not sure the distinction you are making between "heroic" and "showing courage".

[bemildred]

79. So what do you think of the plans for the Red Heifer anyway?

[oberliner]

89. Messiah is coming

Better get your affairs in order.

[Warren Stupidity]

96. no, that would be "courageous".

to be heroic one must perform one or more great deeds - heroic acts - that require exceptional courage.

McCain got shot down while engaged in an air war against a country we were not officially at war with. He was, in fact, committing war crimes at the time he was shot down and captured.

He was captured. He was held prisoner. He may have been tortured, but if that constitutes an heroic act then every viet cong soldier we captured and invariably tortured, every civilian we mistook for a viet cong soldier and captured and tortured, they are all "heros". In addition, if getting captured and tortured constitutes "heroic acts" then you would be in the position of having to consider everyone we put through our Guantanamo torture facility, everyone we sent through our abu grhaib torture chamber, everyone we tortured at bagram, all the uncounted unfortunates we sent to our many unnamed black sites, all of them "heros". Are you good with that? Or just McCain?

[oberliner]

98. No, that would be a "synonym"

heroic

: of or relating to heroes

: having or showing great courage

: very large or great in size, amount, etc.

Synonyms
bold, courageous, dauntless, doughty, fearless, gallant, greathearted, gutsy, gutty, brave

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heroic

[Warren Stupidity]

102. well the dictionary definition is lame. Heroes perform heroic acts -

heroic acts are great and near impossible deeds performed at great personal sacrifice.

But fine, if you want to take the more mundane dictionary definition of "showing great courage" - then war criminal/pow McCain is as much of a hero as everyone we put into Guantanamo, many of whom, in fact the vast majority of whom, didn't even commit any crimes at all, let alone war crimes.

[B Calm]

75. My dad a WW2 vet always said that the only true heroes died in battle.

[Erose999]

115. Or died trying to save others.

[Buns_of_Fire]

77. He's probably closer to being a war hero than Rump is to being a President. nt

[pampango]

80. No but it has nothing to with him having been captured and being a POW. n/t

[DrDan]

81. this vet says yes

[Phentex]

83. Yes. nt

.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

87. I think his military service record, including his time as POW, is worthy of respect.

I reserve the term "war hero" for instances where someone has gone above and beyond the normal call of duty to help save the lives of others around him or her. It's not a phrase to be used lightly in my opinion.

But regardless of his politics, I think his service record is worthy of respect. I see nowhere where McCain disrespected his uniform (unlike someone such as Allen West, who disrespected his service by torturing a detainee).

And as I mentioned in my own thread, Trump's statements don't merely disrespect McCain, but rather anyone who has ever been held as a POW. Including an uncle of mine, whose recollections of being held on a POW ship in the Pacific during WWII were harrowing.

[Victor_c3]

88. No I don't, but I don't consider myself to be a war hero either

I have a hard time calling almost anyone a hero because they fought in a war.

I can't speak for McCain, but when I reflect on my wartime experiences I mostly feel shame and disgust over my actions. I received two major awards for my supposed bravery in combat and I really have mixed feelings about them. They (and the experiences) are a huge part of my identity yet the feelings they carry are very negative.

The one thing that troubles me about McCain is that his views are very contrary to those of other combat vets I've known on war and our military. I have a hard time believing that a person who supposedly has had an intimate relationship with the impacts of war could be anything but a peacenick. My only guess is that he may have been a POW for years, but never had to kill someone in close combat or held a dying person in their arms.

[B Calm]

90. I consider him to be a horrible pilot that should have never been

at the controls of a jet fighter.

[DiverDave]

91. I do not agree with him at all

but, god damnit he was TORTURED!
God damned right I think he is a hero.

[Lyric]

94. Yes. Being a terrible politician doesn't diminish that fact.

The world is not full of Good People and Evil People and nothing in between. McCain was a war hero. I think that experience is what messed his mind up enough to turn him into the jackbooted war hawk that he is today. Classic trauma reaction. He shouldn't be elected to a school board, let alone the Senate, but the man is certainly a war hero.

[LittleBlue]

95. No

There is nothing heroic about being captured.

I never understood why we all have to kowtow to McNasty's every insane whim just cuz 'Nam. He's a mentally ill warmonger with blood on his hands.

[Liberal_in_LA]

104. yes. definitely

[emsimon33]

105. CRIMINAL..too many returning POWs said he should be court marshalled

I was teaching at the high school in Virginia Beach, Virginia, that served the largest Naval airbase in the world at the time of the release of the POWs. More POWs had children at my school than any other in the U.S. Time and again my students noted that their father's called McCain a traitor who should be in jail. I never heard "hero" attached to McCain's name


To further confirm McCain as a person with no moral compass, look at how he treated his wife on his return or his dealings with Keating which should have landed him in jail.

[Blue_In_AK]

106. I consider him to be a survivor.

It could not have been easy to be locked up as a prisoner of war for so long. I reserve the term "hero" for someone who saves someone else's life or limb at great risk to their own. But that's just me.

[ladyVet]

113. Well, I get sort of meh about it the more I consider it.

On the one hand, he did go -- unlike quite a few we could name -- and try to fly missions, and was taken prisoner. I can't begin to understand what he went through. So, yes, a hero.

But, he was a crappy pilot, and should have been grounded for his own good and that of his fellow military members.

And then, well. Crap. There were probably worse in the military.

Should all POWs be considered heroes? Didn't they give a lot to this country?

[Matrosov]

116. He has done nothing heroic

Heroism implies a person is willing to sacrifice something for the greater good.

What was the greater good in Vietnam? There wasn't any. The US became involved based on a lie, the Gulf of Tonkin incident, an event that never occurred and which the Johnson administration fabricated to be able to justify military intervention.

[hamsterjill]

117. Yes, he is a war hero.

He served our country and withstood torture and horrendous conditions while doing so. He made it through, and I'm sure that his experiences give him a unique perspective on certain matters.

However, that does not mean that I can't think he's ever been an asshole or that he's ever been wrong.

[Orsino]

122. He kept faith with his fellow prisoners and endured torture.

Yeah, I think that was a kind of heroism.

[Mrdie]

123. The Soviets actually mentioned McCain

I'm involved in efforts to scan books from the 1930s-80s (with permission if copyright is an issue, which it isn't for Soviet books.) You can find such works here, if you're interested.

Anyway, a multilingual Russian-English photobook called The Vietnam Story written by a Soviet journalist and published in 1972, has a brief mention of McCain on page 120:

"Your name?"
"John Sydney McCain"
"Rank?"
"Major, United States Navy."
The questions were addressed to an American pilot dressed in a war prisoner's robe. He was shot down over Hanoi in one of the fiercest air battles in the war on October 26, 1967. It was his 23rd mission over the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, and it ended in a lake in Hanoi known as Silvery Rushes, where he came down after bailing out from his burning plane. In that raid his group lost three planes.
"What is your opinion of Hanoi's air defences?"
"As for the ground-to-air missiles," said the Major, a son and grandson of US admirals, "I think they are quite accurate, and we often cannot evade them. I had almost reached my target when I suddenly saw the missiles heading towards me. Then there was a terrific blast... And now I'm a prisoner..."