President Honors Late Senator and Friend at Memorial Near Site of McCain’s Vietnam War Ordeal

HANOI, VIETNAM– President Joe Biden, on his visit to Hanoi, Vietnam, before departing from the city, took the time to pay his respects at the John Sidney McCain III Memorial. This visit was a tribute to the late Republican Senator from Arizona who passed away in 2018 following a battle with brain cancer.

Speaking at the memorial, located near Truc Bach Lake, where McCain’s aircraft was shot down during the Vietnam War in 1967, President Biden expressed his sentiments, saying, “I miss him. He was a good friend.” McCain had been arrested and held captive for over five years at the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” prison during the war.

During this solemn moment, U.S. climate envoy John Kerry, who also served in Vietnam, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken stood alongside President Biden. He respectfully touched a wreath adorned with red, white, and blue flowers placed in front of the memorial and bowed his head, as reported by the pool.

In addition to paying his respects, President Biden shook hands with the Marine and Navy officers standing on either side of the memorial. He also left one of his command coins at the site, as confirmed by the White House.

President Biden emphasized the significance of this visit, stating, “It was important to me.”

Biden and McCain first crossed paths in the 1970s when Biden was a senator, and McCain served as a Navy Senate liaison. Their working relationship extended beyond their respective roles, as Biden, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, frequently selected McCain to accompany him on his travels. Biden also valued McCain’s counsel before his meetings with foreign leaders.

Ted Kaufman, a former senator from Delaware who shares a close relationship with President Biden, noted that despite their policy disagreements, Biden and McCain never let these differences affect their personal rapport. He stated that they “didn’t personalize it.”