John McCain Fast Facts

Here is a look at the life of US Senator John McCain.

Personal: Birth date: August 29, 1936

Birth place: Panama Canal Zone

Birth name: John Sidney McCain III

Father: John McCain Jr. Navy admiral

Mother: Roberta (Wright) McCain

Marriages: Cindy (Hensley) McCain (May 17, 1980-present); Carol (Shepp) McCain (1965-1980, divorced)

Children: with Cindy (Hensley) McCain: Bridget, James, John and Meghan; with Carol (Shepp) McCain: Sidney, Andrew (Adopted from her previous marriage) and Douglas (Adopted from her previous marriage)

Education: US Naval Academy, 1958

Military service: US Navy, 1958-1981, Captain

Religion: Raised Episcopalian

Other Facts: Has been awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Legion of Merit, a Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross.

McCain's father and grandfather were both four-star US Navy admirals. They were the first father and son to achieve this rank.

Timeline:October 26, 1967-March 14, 1973 - During the Vietnam War, McCain is shot down and captured by North Vietnamese forces. He is held as a POW for more than five years.

1977-1981 - Navy liaison to the US Senate.

1981 - Retires from the US Navy.

1983-1987 - US Representative from Arizona's 1st District.

November 4, 1986 - Wins the US Senate seat vacated by retiring Senator Barry Goldwater.

1989-1991 - Is investigated as being one of five senators, called the Keating Five, who interfered with regulators on behalf of Charles Keating, a financier accused of financial violations and is convicted of securities fraud. McCain is cleared, but the Senate Ethics Committee decides that McCain showed poor judgment in his efforts for Keating, who was a large contributor to McCain's campaign.

1990s - As part of the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs, McCain works with Democrats, including John Kerry, on normalizing relations and increasing trade with Vietnam.

November 3, 1992 - Is re-elected to the Senate.

1993 - McCain has a melanoma lesion removed from his left shoulder. It is declared Stage 0, of little long-term concern.

November 3, 1998 - Is re-elected to the Senate.

1999 - McCain's memoir, "Faith of My Fathers," is published.

September 27, 1999 - Formally announces his presidential candidacy, while in New Hampshire.

March 9, 2000 - Suspends his campaign for president.

May 9, 2000 - Endorses George W. Bush for president.

August 19, 2000 - Undergoes more than five hours of surgery to remove two cancerous skin lesions on his temple and upper arm. The melanoma on his left arm is declared Stage 0, but the melanoma removed from McCain's left lower temple proves invasive, though later dissection of dozens of lymph nodes shows no evidence that the cancer had spread.

February 4, 2002 - McCain undergoes surgery to remove a skin lesion from the left side of his nose that doctors later say is a low-risk, early stage or "in situ" melanoma.

September 2002 - "Worth the Fighting for: A Memoir," is published.

November 2, 2004 - Is re-elected to the Senate for a fourth term.

February 28, 2007 - Appears on the "Late Show with David Letterman" and confirms that he will seek the Republican presidential nomination.

April 25, 2007 - While in New Hampshire, McCain announces he is running for president.

August 29, 2008 - Announces that he has selected Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska to be his vice presidential running mate.

September 4, 2008 - Accepts the Republican nomination for president at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota.

November 4, 2008 - Loses the presidential election to Senator Barack Obama.

November 2, 2010 - Is re-elected to the Senate for a fifth term.

August 29, 2012 - Speaks at the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida, on his 76th birthday.

May 27, 2013 - Meets with rebels in Syria, making him the highest ranking elected official from the United States to visit since the conflict began in March 2011.

August 5, 2013 - At President Obama's request, US Senators McCain and Lindsey Graham arrive in Cairo to meet with Egyptian interim leaders and separately, with the Muslim Brotherhood leadership.

December 14, 2013 - McCain meets with opposition leaders in Kiev, Ukraine, during protests in the country.

April 6, 2015 - Tells NBC News that he has decided to run for re-election in 2016.

November 8, 2016 - Wins his sixth term in the US Senate, defeating Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick.

February 2017 - Makes an official but unannounced trip to northern Syria to visit US forces.

July 15, 2017 - Mayo Clinic releases a statement that McCain had a blood clot removed from his left eye on July 14.

July 19, 2017 - Mayo Clinic doctors directly involved in the senator's care tell CNN McCain has been diagnosed with a primary glioblastoma, a type of brain tumor. Lab results from last week's surgery confirmed the presence of brain cancer associated with the blood clot.

July 25, 2017 - Returns to the Senate to cast his vote on a procedural step to advance Republicans' plans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.