Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili awarded US Senator John McCain with the the Order of the National Hero. Former US Presidential Candidate was also presented with a gun. As Saakashvili stated "it was a gun sold by one Russian General to a Georgian businessman during military conflict in the Caucasus in August 2008". According to Saakashvili, the gun belonged to a U.S. pilot taken prisoner in the Vietnam war. "John McCain demonstrated heroism for America and for Georgia" - proudly said Saakashvili at the ceremony. McCain repeatedly backed Tbilisi during 2008 conflict, when Georgia attacked South Ossetia, stating at one point that now "we are all Georgians".