Farewell Randy 'Duke' Cunningham

[buffnut453]

Legendary fighter pilot and first US ace of the Vietnam War Randy “Duke” Cunningham passed away

Legendary fighter pilot and first United States ace of the Vietnam War Randy “Duke” Cunningham passed away

theaviationgeekclub.com

 

[GTX]

Sadly a good pilot but a bad politician - the latter not being partisan but just stating the facts re his crimes.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Yeah, nothing against his aerial talents but my generation remembers him for his corruption if they think of him at all.

 

[buffnut453]

Agreed...the term "lapse in judgment" really doesn't do justice to his bribery and corruption.

That said, he was a genuinely brave and successful fighter pilot, which is why I posted the link. I can still salute the man in uniform even though, in later life, he went off the rails.

 

[Gnomey]

 

[KLS&C 85]

Great aviators tend not to be good politicians.
The late John Glenn was another example. I watched Senator Glenn live on C-SPAN tie a Senate Committee in knots that was investigating President Clinton. It was a very short time later that President Clinton ORDERED NASA to give Senator Glenn a ride on the Space Shuttle. Quid Pro Quo??? With the timing I think so.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

How many former aviators-turned-politicians engaged in corruption on Cunningham's scale? I'm not so forgiving of one who swore to protect and defend the Constitution who then practices corruption, whether or not they know how to fly.