Duke Cunningham, my friend and colleague, represented the very best of American Heros who go out to meet our enemies at the gates. Reflect for a minute on the description of Duke’s actions for which he received the Navy Cross, two Silver Stars, and a Purple Heart. 

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NAVY CROSS AWARD:

” …as leader of a section of F4 aircraft Lt. Randall Cunningham … positioned himself between the retiring strikeforce and a large formation of 16 enemy aircraft … displaying extraordinary courage and brilliant aerial skill, he inspired and motivated his outnumbered shipmates … and personally accounted for 3 of the 6 enemy aircraft destroyed in the fierce battle. Although his aircraft was struck by a surface-to-air missile and later burst into flame, Lt. Cunningham was able to barrel-roll his crippled fighter to the Tonkin Gulf where he ejected and was picked up by a rescue helicopter….” 

FIRST SILVER STAR AWARD:

“…demonstrating extraordinary heroism, Lt. Cunningham … engaged the enemy tree-top level … his quick and decisive low-level attack through heavy enemy tracer fire accounted for one enemy aircraft destroyed and drove the enemy north and out of range of the strikeforce…” 

SECOND SILVER STAR AWARD:

“…with complete disregard for his own personal safety he continued his attack through a hail of cannon fire to rescue his wingman…” 

Duke Cunningham has been the point of lots of media criticism over the last twenty years. But during the Spring of 1972 when the politicians had abandoned South Vietnam, Duke saddled up each day with his co-pilot Bill “Irish” Driscoll and catapulted off the deck of the Constellation to fly a gauntlet of anti-aircraft fire and shoot down five enemy aircraft and save his men doing it. 

In James Michener’s book, “The Bridges at Toko Ri”, the airgroup commander wonders aloud when the book’s hero is shot down, “Where do we get such men?”

The answer is sometimes they come from the little town of Shelbina, Missouri and they are at once brave, sometimes reckless, sometimes rough-edged…but always willing to go to the sound of the guns.

May God bless Duke Cunningham.