A military mom's letter to a president: When McCain's mother wrote LBJ 50 years ago
The letter was written when the now-Republican Senator was a prisoner of war.
— -- There has been a great deal of discussion in the country over the past three weeks about presidential communication with military families.
But one remarkable letter from a now-famous military mother to a President of the United States, dated 50 years ago, has never received much attention.
Less than one week after her son, future U.S. Sen. John McCain, was shot down and taken a prisoner of war, Roberta McCain took the time to write a letter to the president of the United States, Lyndon Johnson, dated November 1, 1967. A copy of the letter was provided by the LBJ Presidential Library.
She wrote: “As the parent of a son who was shot down in Hanoi, last week, and is now a prisoner-of-war, I wonder if you are interested to know that both my husband and I back you and your policies 100 percent in Vietnam? One reads so much of other opinions, that I just hope that you know the people really making the sacrifice, believe in our country and in you.” Her husband was Admiral John S. McCain Jr.
She went on in the letter to the President: “May God bless you and keep you strong in your courage and convictions.”
John McCain remained a prisoner of war for over 5 years, was tortured by his captors, and wasn’t released until 1973. He went on to be elected to the U.S. House and then the Senate and ran for president twice, the second time winning the Republican Party’s nomination before losing to Barack Obama in 2008. He was elected to his sixth Senate term in November and currently serves as the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
This February, he tweeted birthday wishes to his mom, Roberta, when she turned 105!