The Unauthorized Randy “Duke” Cunningham Page

This article hits Cunningham's Naval service perfectly
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20060115-9999-lz1n15legend.html

Such contributors from the likes of Jack Ensch and Jack Ready are excellent.

Mas . . . .

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20060205-9999-1n5wilkes.html

Scott -

Well said. It is like these cretin have a sense of self-entitlement. I bet they do have some sort of flow chart . . . after all, they do it on the cops and robber shows on TV!

This thing is very deep and broad, I wonder it the Justice Department has the nuts to go through with it.

I too will think about this when April 15th rolls around.

The CO of VF-96 was CDR A.S. Newman, not quoted. I don't know where/when Carl Wynn was his C/O.>>

Wynn was CO from when Randy joined 96 in Aug '69 until June '70. Change of command was at Subic/Cubi. Tom Moore became CO at that time until a year or so later when Al Newman became skipper.

THAT is an excellent article. I had anticipated that the Newsweek article would have been that good, but then again, they had to rush to the press.

Paul:
Offline?
Ping?
hewett -at- jps.net

wealthmba01 -at- yahoo.com

So after all these years, the truth finally comes out, publicly.

But none of this article should be news to anyone who was at NAS Miramar with Cunningham during that period. We all discussed him privately, but never publicly.

Two things are surprising about the article:

1. The quality of the many former officers quoted. They were all respected icons of that period at NAS Miramar, and they speak with substantial authority and credibility about Cunningham.

2. That a supposedly conservative newspaper would put this story on its front-page, "above the fold," and tell it so well and so objectively.

For many of us, this story was not really "news" to us. However, it did fit quite nicely for a change, with the Copley masthead's motto, "Ring of Truth". If only the voters had known this truth years earlier, as did most Miramar fighter pilots. The blame of silence can be legitimately aimed at many who should have spoken out, far earlier, but did not.

Nevertheless, it was some nice and objective reporting with impressive research and strong quotes.

Yes, it was impressive to have "Fingers," "Muggs," and Jack Ready quoted.

Many of us spoke, but were hooted down . . . finally, I said on the golf course to 3 other real "names" in Naval Aviation and the space program, "Well guys, you are getting the representation that you deserve." "Worst, my friends, he is a guy that kicks his ball out of the rough and back into play." That last statement gave them pause.

I have, since the news came tumbling out, discussed it with 2 of them, 1 has gone West. I can tell you that they were stunned. But if another came along that wrapped himself in the flag, they would blindly vote for him . . . note that I said, ". . . vote for him." They are, like many, in the North County, Neanderthals. But its is fun to take their money on the golf course and rub their Naval Academy noses in the pile of Cunningham do-do.

After reading the article, I went back to my '71-'72 cruise book to verify some names. I found the photos of Keith Crenshaw and Matt Connelly on the VF-96 page (in addition to Driscoll and Cunningham). The CO of VF-96 was CDR A.S. Newman, not quoted. I don't know where/when Carl Wynn was his C/O.

Paul- Great refernce to "kicking the ball out of the ruff back into play". THAT says as much as anything as to character and how one sees themself. We've all played with that type at one time or another.....and pity them.
Scott

For a similar article, see the Newsweek article "Top Gun's Tailspin" in the 12/12/2005 issue by Evan Thomas and Jamie Reno. Not as detailed as the Union-Trib article, but also interesting

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10313613/site/newsweek/

It has got to be a chrome plated b•tch to have your fall from grace so well chronicled in the press and on THIS WEBSITE! Talk about a spin, crash and burn . . . this is the worst that I have ever seen or heard of.