
John McCain was a prominent American politician and naval officer. He was born on August 29, 1936, in the Panama Canal Zone, which was then a US territory. McCain was born at a naval hospital, but the exact location is disputed. Some sources claim he was born at Coco Solo Naval Air Station, while others state he was born at Gorgas Hospital in Ancon, Colon Hospital in Cristobal, or Coco Solo family hospital. McCain's father, John S. McCain Jr., was a naval officer stationed in the Panama Canal Zone at the time of his birth.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | John Sidney McCain III |
| Date of Birth | 29 August 1936 |
| Hospital | Gorgas Hospital in Ancon, Canal Zone |
| Location | Coco Solo Naval Air Station, Panama Canal Zone |
| Parents | Naval officer John S. "Jack" McCain Jr. and Roberta (Wright) McCain |
| Occupation | Politician, US Navy officer |
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What You'll Learn

John McCain was born at a US Navy hospital
John McCain was born on August 29, 1936, at a US Navy hospital. The hospital was located at Coco Solo Naval Air Station in the Panama Canal Zone, which was a US territory at the time. McCain's father, John S. McCain Jr., was a naval officer stationed in the Panama Canal Zone. McCain's grandfather, John S. McCain Sr., was the commander of the base at Coco Solo when McCain was born.
McCain's birth in the Panama Canal Zone sparked debate during his political campaigns about whether he was a natural-born citizen of the United States. Some questioned if he was eligible to be president since the US Constitution requires the president to be a natural-born citizen. However, a bipartisan legal review and a Senate resolution concluded that McCain was indeed a natural-born citizen, despite some legal scholars disagreeing due to the timing of the law that granted him citizenship relative to his birth.
The Coco Solo Naval Air Station was a significant location for the McCain family, not just because of McCain's birth but also due to their extensive military history. McCain's father and grandfather were both admirals in the US Navy, making them the first father-son duo in Navy history to achieve this rank. McCain himself graduated from the United States Naval Academy and served as a naval aviator during the Vietnam War. He was shot down over Hanoi and spent five and a half years as a prisoner of war, enduring torture and isolation.
John McCain's birth at a US Navy hospital in the Panama Canal Zone set the stage for a life of military service and political career that would span several decades and leave a lasting impact on American politics.
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McCain was born at Coco Solo Naval Air Station
John Sidney McCain III was born on August 29, 1936, at Coco Solo Naval Air Station in the Panama Canal Zone, a US territory at the time. McCain's father, John S. McCain Jr., was a naval officer stationed in the Panama Canal Zone. McCain's paternal grandfather, John S. McCain Sr., was the base commander at Coco Solo when McCain was born. The McCain family has a long history of military service.
McCain was born in a United States Navy hospital at Coco Solo. The base was a United States Navy submarine base and naval air station. McCain's birth certificate, available online, records his birth in the Coco Solo "family hospital." However, some sources claim that McCain was born at Gorgas Hospital in Ancon, Canal Zone, or at Colon Hospital in Cristobal, Canal Zone.
As a child, McCain frequently moved with his family as his father took up various naval postings in the United States and the Pacific. McCain attended about 20 schools, including naval base schools, due to his family's frequent relocations. In 1951, the McCain family settled in Northern Virginia, and McCain attended Episcopal High School, graduating in 1954.
McCain followed in his father and grandfather's footsteps by serving in the Navy. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1958 and became a naval aviator. During the Vietnam War, McCain was a naval pilot and was shot down over Hanoi, leading to his capture and imprisonment for five and a half years. After the war, McCain retired from the Navy in 1981 and transitioned to politics, serving in the US House of Representatives and later the Senate, representing Arizona.
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The Panama Canal Zone was a US territory
John McCain, a prominent American politician and naval officer, was born on August 29, 1936, at Coco Solo Naval Air Station in the Panama Canal Zone, which was then a U.S. territory. The Panama Canal Zone was created on November 18, 1903, from the territory of Panama. The Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty, signed on this date, allowed for the construction of the Panama Canal within the territory by the United States.
Although the United States did not "own" the Canal Zone, it had been granted all the rights, power and authority within the zone in perpetuity. This effectively allowed the U.S. to govern, operate and protect the zone as if it were sovereign territory within Panama. The Canal Zone officially opened on May 4, 1904, and the Panama Canal was completed in 1914.
The creation of the Canal Zone and the canal itself came at a heavy price for Panama. To facilitate construction, the U.S. required Panama to give up five miles of land along each side of the planned canal route, where the U.S. would exercise virtual sovereignty. This resulted in the removal of an estimated 62,000 Panamanians from their homes in more than 40 towns and villages in the region. Additionally, American construction efforts were designed to offer as little economic benefit to native Panamanians as possible. For example, Panamanian businesses were prohibited from providing services to the Canal Zone or to ships passing through.
The Canal Zone was a source of tension between the U.S. and Panama, with many Panamanians and Latin Americans dissatisfied with the U.S. government controlling such an economically valuable resource. This tension culminated in riots over the sovereignty of the Canal Zone in 1964, which marked a turning point in the political situation. Starting with the Johnson administration, each successive U.S. president grappled with the right course of action regarding the Panama Canal.
In 1977, with Republican opposition softening, President Jimmy Carter and his advisors saw a path to a treaty. The Canal Zone was eventually abolished on October 1, 1979, as a term of the Torrijos–Carter Treaties signed two years earlier. The canal itself was under joint U.S.-Panamanian control until it was fully turned over to Panama in 1999.
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McCain's father was stationed at Coco Solo
John McCain was born on August 29, 1936, at Coco Solo Naval Air Station in the Panama Canal Zone. McCain was born to naval officer John S. McCain Jr. and Roberta Wright McCain. McCain's father was a naval officer and his paternal grandfather, John S. McCain Sr., were both Naval Academy graduates and four-star admirals in the United States Navy. McCain's father commanded two submarines during World War II and had been awarded the Silver Star and Bronze Star for his service during the conflict.
McCain was born at the Coco Solo Naval Air Station, which was located on the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal Zone. At the time of McCain's birth, the Panama Canal was under U.S. control. McCain's father was stationed at Coco Solo, but there was no hospital there. As a result, McCain was born at the Gorgas Hospital in Ancon, Canal Zone, or Colon Hospital in Cristobal, Canal Zone, according to different sources.
The McCain family moved frequently as McCain's father took on various naval postings in the United States and the Pacific. McCain attended about 20 different schools before the family settled in Northern Virginia in 1951. McCain attended Episcopal High School in Alexandria, where he excelled at wrestling and graduated in 1954. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, McCain entered the United States Naval Academy and graduated in 1958.
The Coco Solo Naval Air Station holds historical significance as the birthplace of John McCain, who went on to become a prominent American politician and naval officer. The station was located in a strategic location in the Panama Canal Zone, which was under U.S. control at the time. The fact that McCain's father was stationed at Coco Solo highlights the family's strong military background and their frequent moves due to naval postings.
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McCain's birth certificate records his birth in the Coco Solo family hospital
John McCain was a prominent American politician and naval officer. He was born on August 29, 1936, in the Panama Canal Zone, an unincorporated territory of the United States at the time. McCain's father, John S. "Jack" McCain Jr., was a naval officer stationed in the Canal Zone, and his paternal grandfather, John S. McCain Sr., was also a naval officer and became a four-star admiral.
The Panama Canal Zone, including Coco Solo, was considered U.S. territory, and individuals born there were considered U.S. citizens. However, some questioned whether McCain was eligible to run for president as there were debates about the definition of a "natural-born citizen." A bipartisan legal review and a Senate resolution concluded that he was a natural-born citizen, but some legal scholars disagreed, citing the timing of the law that granted citizenship to individuals born in the Canal Zone.
McCain's birthplace and citizenship status sparked discussions during his political campaigns, particularly during his presidential bids. The debate centred on the interpretation of the "natural-born citizen" clause in the United States Constitution and whether it applied to those born outside the continental U.S. Despite the questions surrounding his eligibility, McCain's political career spanned several decades, and he served in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, representing the state of Arizona.
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Frequently asked questions
John McCain was born in the Panama Canal Zone.
Yes, McCain was born in a hospital at the Coco Solo Naval Air Station.
Yes, at the time of McCain's birth, the Panama Canal Zone was considered a US territory.
McCain was born to naval officer John S. "Jack" McCain Jr. and Roberta (Wright) McCain.
McCain was of Scots-Irish and English ancestry.
























