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3h ago

Randy 'Duke' Cunningham, First U.S. Ace of Vietnam War, Dies at 83

His legacy bridges elite naval aviation, a rise to Congress, a corruption conviction followed by a presidential pardon.

Former U.S. Rep. Randy “Duke” Cunningham addresses the media after pleading guilty to federal corruption charges in 2005. (John R. McCutchen/U-T San Diego)
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Overview

  • Cunningham died Aug. 27 in a Little Rock, Arkansas hospital at age 83 after months of reported health problems.
  • Flying F-4 Phantoms with RIO Willy “Irish” Driscoll, he was credited with five MiG kills in 1972 and received the Navy Cross.
  • After Vietnam he taught at the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN), later commanding VF-126, and retired from the Navy as a commander in 1987.
  • Elected to the U.S. House in the early 1990s, he pleaded guilty in 2005 to taking $2.4 million in bribes and served more than eight years in federal prison.
  • Trump issued him a presidential pardon in January 2021, and in 2020 he served as president of the American Fighter Aces Association, advocating recognition for back-seaters.