Former POW Says McCain Is Ready to Command!

The first naval aviator shot down in Vietnam, 61-year-old Everett Alvarez, is the grandson of immigrants from Mexico. Born and raised in Salinas, California, he spent 8 and half years as a P.O.W. in the Hanoi Hilton. Now he’s on the campaign trail for Senator John McCain. He spent part of Saturday in Albuquerque talking to Vets for McCain.

In this AUDIO INTERVIEW Alvarez, who is recognized as a war hero in his home town, has a high school named after him. Alvarez says he believes Hispanics Americans will give the likely Republican Party nominee their support this fall.

McCain will need a big percentage of Hispanic America votes if he hopes to prevail in the fall. In 2004, George W. Bush got a little more than 40%, but the G.O.P lost its footing with this largest minority voting block in the 2006 mid-term elections when the failed to garner more than 30%.

Alvarez talked to us about problems in the Veterans Administration, the new G.I. Bill, and a 20% increase in military suicides rates in 2007.

Alvarez, whose wife divorced him while he was imprisoned in Vietnam, wrote about his war time experiences in Chained Eagle and Code of Conduct.