 Possessed of a strong intelligence , McCain did well in a few subjects that interested him , such as English literature , history , and government . There was a fixed Bachelor of Science curriculum taken by all midshipmen ; McCain 's classmates were impressed by his cramming abilities on mathematics , science , and engineering courses and thought his low grades were by inclination and not ability , while McCain would later acknowledge that those courses were a struggle for him . His class rank was further lowered by poor grades for conduct and leadership , which reflected his sloppy appearance , rebellious attitude , and poor relations with his company officer . Despite his low standing , he was popular and a leader among his fellow midshipmen , in what biographer Robert Timberg called a " manic , intuitive , highly idiosyncratic way " . Good at attracting women , he was famed for organizing off @-@ Yard activities with a group who called themselves " the Bad Bunch " ; one classmate said that " being on liberty with John McCain was like being in a train wreck . " Other midshipmen were annoyed by his behavior . A June 1957 training cruise aboard the destroyer USS Hunt found McCain showing good skills at the conn , and the destination stop in Rio de Janeiro led to a dream @-@ like romance with Brazilian fashion model and ballerina Maria Gracinda that persisted through a Christmastime reunion . 
