Cunningham, Randall Harold

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Randy "Duke" Cunningham is indeed, a Congressman we can be proud of. He cares about the future of our community and our country. Randy "Duke" Cunningham is indeed, a Congressman we can be proud of. He cares about the future of our community and our country.
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Revision as of 02:48, 9 January 2006

Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham


"Duke" Cunningham is a Congressman we can be proud of. He received his Bachelor of Science and Masters Degrees from the University of Missouri. He then became a successful swim coach, having coached 36 All Americans and 2 Olympic gold and silver Medalist. He also holds a Masters in Business Administration.

"Duke" fought for his country as a Naval Aviator during and after the Vietnam War. He served until his retirement from the U.S. Navy as a Commander in 1987. One of the most highly decorated pilots in the Vietnam War, he completed two combat cruises with Fighter Squadron 96 aboard the USS America (CV 66) and the USS Constellation (CV 64). He flew a total of 300 combat missions over North Vietnam and Laos.

On January 19, 1972 he and his back-seater, Bill Driscoll, engaged three MIG-17s north of Quang Lang Airfield and shot down the lead aircraft. On May 8, 1972 he engaged three MIG-17s and destroyed the MIG chasing his wingman while he was being fired upon by the other two aircraft.

On May 10, 1972, in one of the most famous air battles in history, Cunningham was pulling off target after a flak-suppression mission south of Hanoi when his flight was attacked by 22 MIG-17s, MIG-19s and MIG-21s. During this dog fight he shot down three of the 22 MIGs giving him a total of five victories and forever designating him as the first ace in Vietnam, a feat that only one other pilot accomplished during the entire Vietnam War.

One of these kills was a MIG-17 he shot off his executive officer's tail while he was being directly attacked by four MIG-17s, two MIG-19s and four MIG-21s. For this action, "Duke" Cunningham was nominated for the prestigious Congressional Medal of Honor.

After his third victory of the day, he turned to the sanctuary of the Gulf of Tonkin, but was hit by a surface-to-air missile forty miles over enemy territory. Using the skills acquired by training and his valuable "know your equipment" acumen, he nursed his badly damaged F-4 Phantom to the Gulf where he and Bill Driscoll ejected and were rescued out of the water.

"Duke" Cunningham was decorated with the Navy Cross, two Silver Stars, the Purple Heart, 15 Air Medals, the Navy Commendation, a South Vietnamese cross of Gallantry (Star Cluster), Cross of Gallantry Oak Leaf, and the Selective Service Medal.

"Duke" has been married to Dr. Nancy Cunningham for twenty-seven years and has three children: April Dianna, Carrie Melissa, and Randall Todd Cunningham. "Duke's" Radar Intercept Officer (back-seater),William "Willy" "Irish" Driscoll is the Godfather to his oldest daughter, April Dianna Cunningham.

"Duke" wrote the popular book FOX TWO in 1984 about his fighter pilot experiences. He was an instructor at the Navy Fighter Weapons School "TOP GUN" at Naval Air Station Miramar in San Diego. Many of his real life experiences as a navy pilot were depicted in the movie "TOP GUN". He served as the Commanding Officer of the elite Navy Aggressor Squadron that flew Russian tactics and formations to train U.S. Fighter Pilots at NAS Miramar and around the world.

After retiring from the Navy, he accepted the position as Dean of the School of Aviation at National University in San Diego. Congressman Cunningham was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1990 and has returned to his office with strong support from his San Diego County constituents every two years since then. In Congress he serves as an influential member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee and on the Subcommittee on National Security. He also serves on the Select Committee on Intelligence, and on the Labor, Health and Human Services Committee.

"Duke" has been recognized by a large number of civic organizations for his many contributions to the community and society as a whole. His work for strong, community-based education has led to his recognition as the Education Impact Aid Man of the Year and Library Man of the Year, among other awards. Groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, The National Federation of Independent Business, and The National Taxpayer Union have recognized his commitment to job growth, tax relief and a strong economy. "Duke's" work to keep our neighborhoods safe has led to endorsements by the Law Enforcement Alliance of America, the National Association of Police Organizations, the Deputy Sheriff's Association of San Diego County, and several other law enforcement groups.

Our congressman works for drug-free schools, quality education for our children, a strong and efficient national defense, and a smaller, more efficient government that works with us rather than against us.

Randy "Duke" Cunningham is indeed, a Congressman we can be proud of. He cares about the future of our community and our country.

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