Joseph Diggs Sr.'s letter ("What's the story on McCain as a POW?" July 11) called on John McCain to set his POW record straight about preferential treatment.

For the record, when McCain and the other POWS were released they provided extensive detail of their captivity in North Vietnam. In McCain's books, talks and interviews, he has given a full account of his own 1967-72 captivity. It has been consistent, detailed and completely corroborated by POWs who were there with him and who witnessed his treatment and behavior firsthand.

These are men who shared his cell and nursed him as he recovered from broken bones and numerous torture sessions. They were fellow pilots and senior camp officers such as Bud Day, Jeremiah Denton and Jim Stockdale. The many ex-POWs who were imprisoned with McCain have indicated nothing but respect for the man who never asked for or accepted any preferential treatment as a POW, and who steadfastly refused release until all of those with more POW time had been freed.

Mr. Diggs insinuates that McCain received better treatment in the last year of captivity. This was during the peace negotiations when all POWs received marginally better treatment -- something thoroughly documented by many POWs, including those closely confined with McCain at the time. Camp conditions and POW clandestine communications were such that any preferential treatment would have been widely known by the other POWs.

Much research has been done on McCain over the years by both his friends and opponents. Matt Welch's 2007 book, McCain: The Myth of a Maverick, exposed every negative detail that could possibly be found about him from boyhood to present, but Welch's in-depth research found nothing reflecting adversely on McCain's behavior as a POW. Mr. Diggs' unfounded speculation and innuendo represents the lowest form of politics.

Donald L. Davis, Evans