John McCain (Space Race Didn't End)



John Sidney McCain III (born August 29, 1936) was the first Secertary-General of the United Communities on the moon. He is now a well respected statesman within the United Communities and thoughout the Orbital Habitat Zones.

McCain followed his father and grandfather, both four-star admirals, into the United States Navy, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1958. He became a pilot and started flying ground-attack aircraft from aircraft carriers. During the Vietnam War, he was almost killed in the 1967 USS Forrestal fire. In October 1967, while on a bombing mission over Hanoi, he was shot down, seriously injured, and captured by the North Vietnamese. He was a prisoner of war until 1973. McCain was torture, and refused an out-of-sequence early repatriation offer. His war wounds left him with lifelong physical limitations and because of these limitations he left Earth for the lower gravity of space and the moon.

Early Career
John McCain was born on August 29, 1936, at Coco Solo Naval Air Station in the Panama Canal Zone, to naval officer John S. McCain, Jr. (1911–1981) and Roberta (Wright) McCain (b. 1912). At that time, the Panama Canal was under U.S. control.

John McCain's early military career began when he was commissioned an ensign and started two and a half years of training at Pensacol to become a naval aviator. While there, he earned a reputation as a partying man. He completed flight school in 1960, and became a naval pilot of ground-attack aircraft, assigned to A-1 Skyraider squadrons undefined aboard the aircraft carriers USS Intrepid and USS Enterprise in the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas. McCain began as a sub-par flier who was at times careless and reckless; during the early-to-mid 1960s, the planes he was flying crashed twice and once collided with power lines, but he received no major injuries. His aviation skills improved over time, and he was seen as a good pilot, albeit one who tended to "push the envelope" in his flying.

Vietnam and Rehabilitation


McCain requested a combat assignment, and was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal flying A-4 Skyhawks. His combat duty began when he was 30 years old, in mid-1967, when Forrestal was assigned to a bombing campaign, Operation Rolling Thunder, during the Vietnam War. McCain and his fellow pilots became frustrated by micromanagement from Washington, and he would later write that "In all candor, we thought our civilian commanders were complete idiots who didn't have the least notion of what it took to win the war."

On July 29, 1967, McCain, by then a lieutenant commander, was near the center of the Forrestal fire. He escaped from his burning jet and was trying to help another pilot escape when a bomb exploded. McCain was struck in the legs and chest by fragments. The ensuing fire killed 134 sailors and took 24 hours to control. With the Forrestal out of commission, McCain volunteered for assignment with the USS Oriskany, another aircraft carrier employed in Operation Rolling Thunder. Once there, he would be awarded the Navy Commendation Medal and the Bronze Star for missions flown over North Vietnam.

John McCain's capture and subsequent imprisonment began on October 26, 1967. Although McCain was badly wounded, his captors refused to treat his injuries, beating and interrogating him to get information; he was given medical care only when the North Vietnamese discovered that his father was a top admiral. His status as a prisoner of war (POW) made the front pages of major newspapers. Altogether, McCain was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for five and a half years. He was released on March 14, 1973. His wartime injuries left him permanently incapable of raising his arms above his head.

McCain underwent treatment for his injuries, including months of grueling physical therapy, and attended the National War College at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. during 1973–1974. Having been rehabilitated, by late 1974, McCain had his flight status reinstated, and in 1976 he became commanding officer of a training squadron stationed in Florida. He improved the unit's flight readiness and safety records and won the squadron its first-ever Meritorious Unit Commendation.

Space Command
By 1979, McCain injurers continued to cause he problems and his flight statis was threatened because the high-G forces were agravating those injuries. He was giving an opportunity to join the join the rapidly growing ranks of astronaut corp as a command officer, which needed well qualified pilots and commander to shuttle from LEO to higher orbits and the moon. He entered the program knowing that returning to Earth and returning to flight statis would be difficult, if not impossible, and any career on return to earth would be a desk job.

McCain entered a six month training program starting April 18, 1979, McCain which was the senior officier (a Captain) in training and 15 years the senior of the next oldest trainee. After ground training, he was graduated to orbital training. McCain was shuttled up to LEO to the Central Transport Station and started pilot training but also was made a liason officer between the various military and civilian operating structures. McCain quickly learned to navigate the different SOP's and gained a great amount of respect. Due to his leadership, the Navy give him the rank of Commodore in March of 1980.

Despite his rank (there was no desk-jobs in space at this time), McCain started shuttling crews and supplies from LEO to the various lunar bases in November of 1980. During this time he further distinguished himself as a leader as well as a good shuttle pilot. With the formation of a single Joint NASA/ military command structure off-earth in July 1981. McCain was promoted to Rear Admiral (two stars) and as the senior military officer was placed in charge of all military operations, he was under a NASA administrator, to maintain overall command under civilian control. McCain took up residency at Tranquility Base in February of 1982 after Space Command established its Lunar Command Base. With the Pentagon moving both shuttle pilot training and deep- space training to the fast growing bases, McCain was nominated for promotion to Vice-Admiral (three Stars) by President Bush in September of 1982. Though their was some hold-up in the senate by those who believe the rank was to high for the position, it was finally approved and on October 12, 1982 McCain was promoted.

Admiral McCain quickly got both training centers up and running; as well as commanding all military operations in orbit. With the Soviets deploying several orbital missle systems; McCain was placed in command of obital placement and operation of lunar and high-orbit American defence systems.

By 1984, McCain's command reponsiblities had expanded considerably with the addition of the defensive systems, an offensive weapon (top-secret) capability and support for deep space missions to Mars and Venus. McCain was nominated for Admiral and will be placed in command of all space operations including Earth based launch-sited. While many wanted McCain to return to Earth in person for Senate hearings it was decided to be held via video as McCain would find it difficult to return to earth without months of rehabilitation.

While most Senator were very supportive of McCain, some believed as before his rank is too high and that he should be stationed at the Pentagon. Other are resistant because he has advanced though to this rank so fast and over other more senior officers. However, no other officer is as qualified as McCain or as knowledgable in regards to space operations.

United Communities


While Admiral McCain had nothing to do with the initial communications between the different activist groups on the moon or in orbit. He was made aware of their activaties and when the first meeting was held and was asked by the President Bush to represent his office in his place.

He quickly establishes himself in a key position in the movement as he strongly beleive they had a just cause. He was able to communicate the of position of the activists to the President, who also supported their position. With little resistants to the idea to the creation of an indepenent government on the moon, McCain was seen as strong leader who could pull together the different groups and create a working single government on the moon.

The creation of the Tranquility Socialist Party and the parania about the belief that Earth would cut them off or the Soviets would invade ran thoughout the different bases. McCain was able to futher prove himself by sorting out the rumours and establishing a process to investigate wrong doings.

McCain's involvement in the formation of the luna government started to overlap his obligations to the military and as he was under scutiny for his active involvement in the goverment, some believed he was trying to grap power for himself. However, no evidence supported those claims. With the support of President Bush and congress he would become the Intermin Secretary-General, untill local government were formed andelection could be held.

While many thought it was unusal that an American politcal entity would model themselves after the United Nations