'I’m Gonna Miss The Man': Veterans React To News Of Arizona Sen. John McCain’s Death

By Bret Jaspers
Published: Monday, August 27, 2018 - 9:15am
Updated: Monday, August 27, 2018 - 7:42pm

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Bob Roberts Mike Crever Judy Crever
Bret Jaspers/KJZZ
Bob Roberts (left), Mike Crever and Judy Crever. Mike Crever is the commander of this Post, where Sen. John McCain was a lifetime paid member.

Navy veteran Lula Vomhof said she wasn’t sure she’d make it over to the William Bloys American Legion Post No. 2 on Saturday night, but had to come after she heard the news that Arizona Sen. John McCain had died at age 81. Vomhof knew the post’s secretary was writing a get-well card to McCain.

“Then it came over the TV, and I called her and I said, 'Are you working on that note?'” Vomhof recalled. “And she goes, 'Yes, I just heard. Now I’ll have to change the words.'”

Vomhof remembered watching television 45 years ago when McCain was being freed from captivity in Vietnam.

“I thought, wow. You know, this man has been through so much. And he’s able to walk down those stairs.”

MORE: Family, Public Officials Remember Sen. John McCain

McCain was a famous politician, but also one of the most famous veterans in the country. The Post No. 2’s evening started as a typical karaoke night, but the televisions playing silently above the bar made the news unavoidable. McCain had a lifetime paid membership at this post, and the conversation turned to the senator’s death.

“In those times when everyone’s pushing to like, hate one, love the other, you couldn’t with McCain.”
— Andre Coleman

Mike Crever, who runs things as the post’s commander, was at the bar with his wife. Crever served in the Navy during the Vietnam era.

“I was on four different carriers. One of them was the ship John was on, [the] U.S.S. Forrestal,” he said.

Crever reasoned that McCain must have come under a lot of pressure as the son and grandson of admirals. But his impression was that McCain knew how to handle it.

“I’m sure he ran a pretty taut ship in his own mind. Okay? Because carrier pilots are that way,” he explained. “They’re on their own, they’re in the pattern, they gotta make a trap, it’s night, it’s rough out there.”

Tribute to John McCain
Jackie Hai/KJZZ
A "Veterans for McCain" shirt was left in tribute to John McCain outside the A.L. Moore-Grimshaw Mortuaries in Phoenix.

Crever said McCain seemed to be a true aviator — he knew his mission.

Judy Crever was surprised McCain’s death came about a day after his family announced he would no longer receive medical treatment.

“I truly believed that he had more time. I didn’t realize that he waited to the extreme end,” she said.

After a moment she added, “He died the way he lived."

Many of the post’s patrons said a version of this: I didn’t always agree with McCain, but I respected his independence.

“For instance, the health care reform that was going through and he voted no and helped kill it,” said veteran Tom Gleason of Tempe. “But it was standing up for what he believed in that I admired him the most. He wasn’t gonna necessarily gonna follow party lines, although he was a strong Republican.”

Andre Coleman of Mesa appreciated how McCain resisted the ugly parts of politics.

“In those times when everyone’s pushing to like, hate one, love the other, you couldn’t with McCain. You just couldn’t,” he said. “I never felt like he had some sort of big, hidden government agenda.”

The moment overwhelmed Vietnam veteran Buddy Cook of Tempe.

“I’m gonna miss him. I’m sorry, but I’m gonna miss the man,” he said through tears. “There was never anyone more American than him.”

Buddy Cook
Bret Jaspers/KJZZ
Vietnam Veteran Buddy Cook at the William Bloys American Legion Post Number 2.

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