INDIANAPOLIS — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine will be accepting the American Legion Distinguished Service Medal on behalf of Senator John McCain, who was awarded the medal posthumously.
DeWine is expected to accept the award for McCain at 11:30 a.m.
You can watch the award presentation in the player below:
The annual award, first presented in 1921, serves as a tribute to those who made great contributions to veterans.
Notable names who have previously been presented this award include Elizabeth Dole, George H. W. Bush, Bob Dole, and Henry Kissinger, among many others.
In 2017, McCain was awarded the American Legion’s Distinguished Public Service Award for his commitment to the welfare of America’s veterans and their families. The Distinguished Public Service Award is given annually to an elected official who has established an outstanding record in support of principles advanced by The American Legion.
McCain died in August 2018 after a battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer.
The Arizona senator served in the U.S. Navy. As a naval pilot serving in 1967, McCain's plane was shot down over Hanoi, and he was captured by North Vietnamese troops. He was tortured for more than five years as a prisoner of war.
Due to the lasting impacts of his torture as a POW, McCain could not lift his arms above his head. He had other health issues, including bouts of skin cancer that left a large scar on his cheek. In July 2017, Sen. McCain was diagnosed with glioblastoma, the deadly brain cancer that took his life.
DeWine will accept the American Legion Distinguished Service Medal on behalf of McCain and his family on Tuesday morning at the American Legion National Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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