Admiral John S. McCain and the Triumph of Naval Air Power

Admiral John S. McCain and the Triumph of Naval Air Power covers the life and professional career of Adm. John S. McCain Sr. (1884-1945). McCain was among the select few officers who reached the heights of carrier task force command during World War II in the Pacific. Spanning most of the first half of the twentieth century McCain’s life and career highlight the integration of aviation into the Navy emphasizing the evolution of the aircraft carrier from a tactical element of the fleet stressing sea control to a strategic force capable of long-range power projection. Although much of the book focuses on carrier aviation McCain was instrumental in the emergence of flying boats (VPs) considered essential for long-range reconnaissance in the Pacific. One of the senior officers branded as
Johnny-Come-Latelys
by pioneer aviators McCain nevertheless brought fresh approaches and innovation to naval aviation during the interwar and war years. His prewar and initial wartime commands encompassed tender-based and shore-based aviation which were critical to early operations in the Pacific. Yet McCain also understood the power and potential of carrier-based aviation initially as commanding officer of the Ranger before the war then as a carrier task force commander under Adm. William F. Halsey in the Pacific in 1944 and 1945. Moreover he served tours as Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics and the first Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air) in 1942-1944. In these varied capacities he witnessed and played a role in the culmination of naval air power as a means of delivering crippling blows to the enemy’s homeland. McCain was among only a handful of officers who achieved prominence during the war who had experience in all of these varied and challenging levels of command.