JOHN McCAIN WAS A YOUNG HOT-DOG PILOT IN VIETNAM

‘Wet starting’ was a common practice among young ‘hot-dog’ pilots

JOHN MCCAIN’S ROLE IN THE USS FORRESTAL FIRE THAT LEFT 168 DEAD

Posted By: RayelansMailbag
Date: Wednesday, 27 February 2008, 11:01 p.m. “Now You Will Know The
Rest Of The Story”

If This Doesn’t Make Your Blood Boil You Are Not A True American!!!

McCain crashed 5 jets, plus he was responsible for the horrible USS
Forrestal fire In 1967.

Surviving crewmen and those who investigated the Forrestal fire case
reported that McCain deliberately ‘wet-started’ his A-4E Skyhawk to
shake up the guy in the F-4 Phantom behind his A-4.

‘Wet-starts’, done either deliberately (the starter motor switch allowed
kerosene to pool in the engine and give a wet start) or accidentally,
shoot a large flame from the tail of the aircraft. In McCain’s case, the
‘wet-start’ ‘cooked off’ and launched the M34 Zuni rocket from the rear
F-4 that punctured the Skyhawk’s fuel tank, knocked the M-65 1000 lb.
bomb off it’s 500 lb. rated mount, and touched off the explosions and
massive fire.

The F-4 pilot was reportedly killed in the conflagration, along with 167
of his fellow Forrestal shipmates (including those who died later from
wounds suffered).

‘Wet starting’ was a common practice among young ‘hot-dog’ pilots.
McCain was quickly (they were still counting the Forrestal dead)
transferred to the USS Oriskany (the only Forrestal crewman to be
immediately transferred).

Description: XA4D-1 Skyhawk BuNo 137812 experiencing a wet start (note
the pool of JP4 on the ground and the tongue of flame from the tailpipe).