Sen. John McCain on Thursday took to Twitter to commemorate the 50th anniversary of getting shot down over Vietnam and "serving in the company of heroes."
McCain was then a Navy pilot who was shot down, seriously injured ejecting from his aircraft over Hanoi, captured by the North Vietnamese, and held captive for 6 years while enduring torture.
He was first elected to the Senate in 1986 and has been re-elected five times.
McCain was diagnosed with glioblastoma over the summer.
McCain, a graduate of the Naval Academy, is returning Monday to give a speech to Midshipmen at Annapolis.