The service history of BuNo #149959 and its pilot, then LCDR John S. McCain III, are intrinsically linked. Following his distinguished naval career, McCain attained significant political prominence as a United States Senator and presidential candidate.
In the U.S. Navy
Skyhawk #13012 (BuNo 149959) was delivered to the U.S. Navy on January 26, 1963, following its production at the Long Beach, California, assembly facility. Throughout its operational lifespan, the aircraft conducted combat sorties in Southeast Asia, deploying with various squadrons aboard the aircraft carriers USS Hancock and USS Coral Sea in support of Operation Rolling Thunder. The airframe was ultimately assigned to attack squadron VA-163, serving with which it was downed over North Vietnamese territory.
Operational Incident
Following his survival of the catastrophic flight deck fire aboard the USS Forrestal (see Part I), John S. McCain III was reassigned to VA-163. On October 26, 1967, while executing an interdiction mission against a power plant in Hanoi, his aircraft (BuNo 149959, call sign AH 300) was shot down by an S-75 Dvina surface-to-air missile (SAM) system (NATO reporting name: SA-2 Guideline).
The detonation compromised the wing’s structural integrity, forcing the pilot to initiate an emergency ejection. Captured post-impact, McCain remained in captivity for five years at the Hoa Lo Detention Center until his release in 1973. Following eight additional years of active military service, he retired to pursue a career in public office.
Epilogue: Political Career and Legacy
Beyond the numbers and positions, John McCain’s life was a story of unwavering service and a tireless pursuit of understanding. After years of dedication as a soldier, in his civilian role, he served his state of Arizona from 1982 as a Representative and, for three decades, as a singular voice in the United States Senate.
In 2008, he sought the presidency. Perhaps his greatest victory did not occur at the ballot box, but rather in the realm of diplomacy, where he spearheaded the reconciliation between the United States and Vietnam, a testament to his ability to transform the pain of his own past into a bridge to the future. His death on August 25, 2018, after a battle with a brain tumor, marked the end of an era. He was laid to rest in the cemetery of the U.S. Naval Academy.
Variant
A-4E Skyhawk (Delivered 1963).
Identification(BuNo):
149959
Users
- VA-23 “Black Knights”: NAS Lemoore (1963) / NAS Alameda (1964) / NAS Atsugi (1964).
- VA-212 “Rampant Raiders”: USS Hancock (1965).
- VA-155 “Silver Foxes”: USS Coral Sea (1965).
- VA-66 “Waldos”: USS Ticonderoga (1966).
- VA-56 “Champions”: USS Enterprise (1966).
- VA-192 “Golden Dragons”: NAS Lemoore / NAS Atsugi (1966).
- VA-153 “Blue Tail Flies”: NAS Alameda (1967).
- VA-93 “Blue Blazers”: USS Bon Homme Richard (1967).
- VA-163 “Saints”: USS Oriskany (1967).
Fate:
Total loss of #13012 by shooting down with an S-75 Dvina (SA-2) missile in Hanoi, Vietnam, on 10/26/1967.
Acknowledgments: Technical contributions provided by Javier Ruberto (Perfiles en Detalle). Sources: U.S. National Archives, U.S. Navy, Skyhawk Association, Wikipedia.
