A Hero Disgraced

[El-Rushbo]

Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy and tax charges involving the sale of his home two years ago to a defense contractor at an inflated price.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/11/28/congressman.shouse.ap/index.html

Admitting to a judge that he took bribes, Cunningham entered pleas in U.S. District Court to charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud and tax evasion for underreporting his income in 2004.

 

[Deuce130]

Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy and tax charges involving the sale of his home two years ago to a defense contractor at an inflated price.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/11/28/congressman.shouse.ap/index.html

Admitting to a judge that he took bribes, Cunningham entered pleas in U.S. District Court to charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud and tax evasion for underreporting his income in 2004.

Anther case of the old adage, "Power corrupts."

 

[Draginass]

Mr. Cunningham disgraced himself.

We earn our wings everyday, not just once.

 

[AlbieF15]

...You only get one repuatation...so you have to protect it. Absolutely a darn shame. I've put some of Duke's quotes on my boards during briefs as motivation. Still a consumate fighter pilot, but now somewhat tarnished...

 

[Kaman]

Hello,
I was so shocked and saddened to read the news about Randy Cunningham. He was one of my heroes growing up, and I met him on a couple of occasions when I was stationed in San Diego. I guess that power can and does corrupt even the most honorable of souls.

Regards,

ex-Navy Rotorhead

 

[Skank]

He's kind of in that nowhere place that Pete Rose lives. He may have been a great pilot, but he is now an ordinary criminal. Not much to be proud of there.

 

[Whidbey]

When I was going through Kingsville as a student we were told he was going to be flying in there on his way to some sort of pig hunting trip in south texas, and that he was going to stop in the ready room to talk to us.

Most guys hung out for hours waiting for the plane to land, when it did all the big shots jumped right into the waiting vehicles and hurried off base. Bummer.

 

[A Squared]

Cunningham just picked the wrong state. Ted Stevens took a $.87 million bribe from a contractor for steering a $450 million military housing contract his way.

Nobody in Alaska even blinked.

 

[Toecutter]

I used to think highly of him as well. But that was a long time ago. Apparently he was a good pilot, but a terrible Naval officer. There is some information floating around that the Navy wanted to boot him several times, but his kills saved him. I've read that he once broke into his CO's office to get a look at or possibly change a bad fitrep he thought he was going to get. Also, there is some talk that he wasn't shot down by a SAM during his last dogfight, but instead ran out of fuel after chasing that Mig all over Vietnam in afterburner. Not sure if that is true, but I heard there was some talk going on in the F-4 community about that.

 

[jointops]

I've got a great print "Gathering of Eagles" from 1985 hanging in my son's room. Guys like Boyinton, Yeager and yes Cunningham are represented with a drawing of these "aces", their squadron patches and their signatures.
These men were my Dad's stick buddies and my heroes. What a waste. How do you explain to your child how sick this world can be? Thank goodness my Dad is still worthy of hero status and Spencer's "Grandpa" is someone he can still count on for character.

Happy landings

 

[AlbieF15]

...running a jet out of gas in order to kill another mig may not be good form, but it is forgivable. Taking bribes, however, is another matter entirely. I don't think our ACES are expected to be perfect pilots, but as a Congressman, leader, and retired officer I think we all agree that the ethical breach (heck...CRIME) is hard to swallow.

The higher you get, the harder you fall. Think Bernie Ebbers (Worldcom) who could very well die in jail. There are lots of examples of leaders and big shots who reach too far into the ethical abyiss and lose it all. Probably a good reminder for all of us...

 

[RJP]

Cunningham just picked the wrong state. Ted Stevens took a $.87 million bribe from a contractor for steering a $450 million military housing contract his way.

Point 87 million? As in 870,000 dollars? Or 87,000,000 cents? Confusing.

Either way, Cunningham was a self-absorbed arrogant prick. At least that's the way he came off when he was speaking at UPT graduation. He more or less talked about himself for half an hour. What a guy.......just ask him.

Here's to you DUKE! :beer:

 

[LJDRVR]

What disgusts me even more than an individual like Cunningham taking bribes, is that the only person that gets bad press is him. What I want to know is: Which defense contractors? Which individuals were involved?

Mr. Cunningham did not commit his crimes in a vacuum. More importantly, he has stepped up to the plate to take his lumps. Are the others going to be prosecuted as well?

Probably not.

 

[Kaman]

Hello,
I don't think there is any credence to the discussion about Cunningham/Driscoll running out of gas on their 3 kill mission on May 10, 1972. However, it is meaningless in regards to the events of earlier today. I wonder if his RIO Willie Driscoll will make a statement regarding his former pilot.
It is still difficult to believe, but the entire defense procurement/military construction process has always had some level of corruption swirling around it. However, in this case Randy Cunningham used his position to acquire personal wealth and privilege. I guess it's like Pappy Boyington said, "Show me a hero and I'll show you a bum".

Regards,

ex-Navy Rotorhead

 

[A Squared]

Point 87 million? As in 870,000 dollars? Or 87,000,000 cents? Confusing.

Yeah, that wasn't very clear was it. It was an $870,000.00 bribe

 

[GVFlyer]

Sad, really sad. First fighter ace in Vietnam, put in for the Congressional Medal of Honor; received the Navy Cross and two Silver Stars, commander of the Fighter Weapons school and the inspiration for the movie Top Gun. A nation needs heroes that don't turn out to have feet of clay. When you've done the trully exceptional things that Duke has done, you have a responsibility to hold yourself to a higher standard. When he demeans himself, he demeans all of us and the entire officer corps.

GV

 

[Occam's Razor]

GV,

Randy "The Crook" Cunningham never commanded Fighter Weapons School. He did command VF-126, an adversary squadron...but never TopGun.

http://www.skyhawk.org/3E/va126/va126.htm#COS

I agree with your post. I was never as impressed with Cunnignham as much as he was. When flying against him out of Miramar, the standard joke was to call "Check Gas!" every 15-seconds in the engagement...just to make sure he wasn't losing track, again!

He was a good driver, though.

 

[jointops]

LJDRVR

The original article I read on the FOX site yesterday certainly named numerous names and gave examples of the incidences of his involvement. Of course, I can't remember their names now. Only his. Figures.

Happy landings

 

[LJDRVR]

LJDRVR

The original article I read on the FOX site yesterday certainly named numerous names and gave examples of the incidences of his involvement. Of course, I can't remember their names now. Only his. Figures.

Happy landings

Yeah, I've since done a little bit of reading. (This post was my first look.) We're all human, but what a bunch of greed and dishonesty. You can't take the "stuff" with you, so it certainly will be nice as an old man to look back on my life and know that I always conducted myself honorably, and that the principles I swore to protect with my life as a young man were not conveniently discarded for something you can put a dollar sign on. Or because it felt good.

Sadly, instead of being held to a higher standard, the ex-Congressman will recieve the lightest jail sentence possible. (If any) Of course, any time he serves won't be behind bars, but will instead be behind the fences of a white-collar "Club Med" facility like the one at Eglin.

Send him to Folsom State Prison.

 

[TransMach]

Duke Cunningham

Well, I just had to cross that guy's name off my list of "True American Heros". He won't get what he really deserves. Sad.

TransMach