Shipmate got pardoned !

[Sandhog308]

Glad to see that President Trump pardoned Randy “Duke“ Cunningham. We served on the USS Constellation ( CVA-64 ) when he became a Navy Ace in Viet Nam. He got his ass in a crack once he became a politician in Kalifornia..... got plum greedy !! Did his time in the pokey and moved on in life.

I see he lives less than 100 miles away from me , if he isn’t a felon any longer , I’ll see if he wants to go shooting and drink a few beers I don’t do FB , but I know some LEO in the area where he lives , maybe they can help me out ?
Never met him in person per se , but he made a comment on a Razorback decal on my cranial ( helmet ) once when he was doing a pre flight on his F4 Phantom. He went to Missouri and recognized the Hog.
I was a Yellow shirt on the flight deck at the time. Glad to hear his good news came from President Trump !!

 

[1J04]

Just say you were a "Deck Ape", and be proud of it. OK Handler?

 

[BullGear]

What was his crime? Just curious.

 

[Sandhog308]

What was his crime? Just curious.

Bribes from defense contractors, fraud , tax evasion. Did 8 yrs

 

[MtnCreek]

Probably shouldn't have charged the tax evasion. They make it difficult to pay the tax on bribery and fraud.

 

[Sandhog308]

Just say you were a "Deck Ape", and be proud of it. OK Handler?

Deck Ape for damn sure ! Humped many tie down chains & chocks , flight quarters to flight quarters , then stand a 4 hr mid-shitter watch. Better than being a Snipe.

 

[1J04]

Deck Ape for damn sure ! Humped many tie down chains & chocks , flight quarters to flight quarters , then stand a 4 hr mid-shitter watch. Better than being a Snipe.

I know. I picked FOD outta the exact same PadEye's you did on the Connie.

 

[Sandhog308]

Cool !! Good to see another shipmate I was on her from 72-75 , became a Shellback in 73. Got to take a transit cruise on her from Bremerton to North Island in 98. Was awesome !!
I used to make my daughter do FOD walk downs in our driveway

 

[BullGear]

Bribes from defense contractors, fraud , tax evasion. Did 8 yrs

That's more than some who commit murder serve. But I'll never understand why someone go into politics.

 

[BullGear]

Just cruising the interweb and guess what came up. Here's your friends story. Don't know how factual it is.

Ace Navy pilot-turned corrupt congressman pardoned by Donald Trump (taskandpurpose.com)

 

[Sandhog308]

I figure having a Rolls as your whip , a couple yachts , big house , hunting trips might not be good publicity looking back.

 

[Sandhog308]

Just cruising the interweb and guess what came up. Here's your friends story. Don't know how factual it is.

Ace Navy pilot-turned corrupt congressman pardoned by Donald Trump (taskandpurpose.com)

Sounds close !?
He has a big ego , figure after what he did in the Navy he figured he was untouchable..invisible ?
Shooting down Migs , punching out of his Phantom over N Vietnam etc.... might have made him think WTF !?

 

[1J04]

Cool !! Good to see another shipmate I was on her from 72-75 , became a Shellback in 73. Got to take a transit cruise on her from Bremerton to North Island in 98. Was awesome !!
I used to make my daughter do FOD walk downs in our driveway

She was a good girl. I enjoyed that Ship. 80-83, crossed the line in 81. Bout the last year you could put the fire hose (shillelagh) to the Wogs along with all the other hazing, maybe 82 they toned it down so much it wasn't even fun anymore. Funny you caught her in Bremerton. I left her there at PSNS after re-enlisting on the Mighty Mo when it was still in Mothballs, only to catch up to the Mighty Mo years later on the Midway in the IO. Funny how things work out.

 

[Strykervet]

You squids and your boats....

 

[IrishWind]

Ships. The US Navy has Ships.
Here is an educational video sponsored by the US Naval Academy to help:

 

[1J04]

You squids and your boats....

There you are! Where the hell have you been?

And please, a little decorum. Ship, please. Only we can call them "Boats".

Difference between a Boat and a Ship? Boats fit on Ships.

 

[Sandhog308]

She was a good girl. I enjoyed that Ship. 80-83, crossed the line in 81. Bout the last year you could put the fire hose (shillelagh) to the Wogs along with all the other hazing, maybe 82 they toned it down so much it wasn't even fun anymore. Funny you caught her in Bremerton. I left her there at PSNS after re-enlisting on the Mighty Mo when it was still in Mothballs, only to catch up to the Mighty Mo years later on the Midway in the IO. Funny how things work out.

I went below the next year 74 as a Shellback. Had a LCDR (Dental Corp) on a rope leash blowing piss out of a pad eye for awhile. Went up the Persian Gulf in 74 , first battle group since 1949....Things have changed. The Old Man proclaimed ” This is where the next shit will hit the fan men “ Nam & Laos was still happening but was all but over.
I got out when the Connie went from being CVA to CV in Bremerton in 75. Great and lasting memories.
Phantom F4 J is from Cunninghams VF-96 Fighting Falcons.

 

[Sandhog308]

Ships. The US Navy has Ships.
Here is an educational video sponsored by the US Naval Academy to help:

Never call a Submarine a ship they are Boats ! Dudes get all pissy over It

 

[Sandhog308]

She was a good girl. I enjoyed that Ship. 80-83, crossed the line in 81. Bout the last year you could put the fire hose (shillelagh) to the Wogs along with all the other hazing, maybe 82 they toned it down so much it wasn't even fun anymore. Funny you caught her in Bremerton. I left her there at PSNS after re-enlisting on the Mighty Mo when it was still in Mothballs, only to catch up to the Mighty Mo years later on the Midway in the IO. Funny how things work out.

The Missouri was in Bremerton in 75 if I remember right ? I drank LOTS of Rainer aka Raindeer piss , might be wrong ?

 

[1J04]

Yepper. Was still launching F4's when I got on. Those smoking bastards. I think they fazed them completely out in 82 on the Connie? Ya, the Missouri was up there then. Tell me you didn't lower your standards and go to the White Pig (aka Albino Swino) or the Red Rooster for all the Bremelo's wearing Bowling Jackets. TELL ME!

 

[Sandhog308]

Yepper. Was still launching F4's when I got on. Those smoking bastards. I think they fazed them completely out in 82 on the Connie? Ya, the Missouri was up there then. Tell me you didn't lower your standards and go to the White Pig (aka Albino Swino) or the Red Rooster for all the Bremelo's wearing Bowling Jackets. TELL ME!

The reason we went to Bremerton in 75 was to widen the flight deck to fit F-14’s.
Have no idea if they flew Phantoms anymore ?? We were one of the first to deploy EA6B Prowlers , got some Russian Bear overflights after Hawaii .....covered them in the hanger bay. I was in Bremerton for like a month. Never saw the sun , I didn’t have many standards after West Pacs though. Met a local and holed up

 

[1J04]

The reason we went to Bremerton in 75 was to widen the flight deck to fit F-14’s.
Have no idea if they flew Phantoms anymore ?? We were one of the first to deploy EA6B Prowlers , got some Russian Bear overflights after Hawaii .....covered them in the hanger bay. I was in Bremerton for like a month. Never saw the sun , I didn’t have many standards after West Pacs though. Met a local and holed up

Yep. When I got on still had F4's, and the Whale.

 

[Sandhog308]

What a trip ! We had Whales drop in after refueling others , not sure where they came from though ? Don’t remember A-3’s squadrons much. They were huge next to a A-7.

 

[Mike Casselton]

There you are! Where the hell have you been?

And please, a little decorum. Ship, please. Only we can call them "Boats".

Difference between a Boat and a Ship? Boats fit on Ships.

If it fits, it ships...

Or something like that.

 

[Redmanss]

What is the difference between a shellback and a wog?

A shell back knows what the Master Chief's belly button tastes like.

 

[fdkay]

What is the difference between a shellback and a wog?

A shell back knows what the Master Chief's belly button tastes like.

I got to cross the line on an MCM, 220 feet of oak and cedar, cruising speed, 8 knots. USS Guardian MCM5 of Tubataha reef fame (long after I departed). I did COD onto a carrier once. That was a blast.

 

[clcustom1911]

What was his crime? Just curious.

Being a swampy, corrupt politician. You know, the ones we all hate and despise as being "the reason shit is a fucked up as it is."

Shouldn't be pardoned. They do more damage to a country than most other criminals.

 

[Sandhog308]

What is the difference between a shellback and a wog?

A shell back knows what the Master Chief's belly button tastes like.

Kissing the Chiefs belly was quite unpleasant indeed , had bruises for a week from getting hit with a Shillelagh. That was the first time the Connie had been under the line since she was commissioned. Not very many Shellbacks to dole out punishment, but they rose up to the occasion.

 

[EddieNFL]

Sounds close !?
He has a big ego , figure after what he did in the Navy he figured he was untouchable..invisible ?
Shooting down Migs , punching out of his Phantom over N Vietnam etc.... might have made him think WTF !?

Well, you know the difference between God and a fighter pilot.

 

[Sandhog308]

Being a swampy, corrupt politician. You know, the ones we all hate and despise as being "the reason shit is a fucked up as it is."

Shouldn't be pardoned. They do more damage to a country than most other criminals.

Can argue with that , just because he was a good pilot , doesn’t mean he was a good person. He DID do alot of jail time for his crimes. If it was me , I wouldn’t have received any slack. Maybe winning a Navy Cross and a Purple Heart got him a pass , or in his case, a pardon ?

 

[Sandhog308]

Well, you know the difference between God and a fighter pilot.

Higher pay grade ?? God doesn’t have as big a ego ??

 

[EddieNFL]

Higher pay grade ?? God doesn’t have as big a ego ??

God doesn't think He's a fighter pilot.

 

[Mr.BR]

What is the pardon about, didn't he already do his time?

 

[BullGear]

What is the pardon about, didn't he already do his time?

To clear his name. Gives him some of his rights back.

 

[Sandhog308]

Not sure , but he may have his felonies expunged ? He could legally own and use weapons. Along with that , might restore his right to vote, even though that doesn’t mean anything anymore

 

[Sandhog308]

Kissing the Chiefs belly was quite unpleasant indeed , had bruises for a week from getting hit with a Shillelagh. That was the first time the Connie had been under the line since she was commissioned. Not very many Shellbacks to dole out punishment, but they rose up to the occasion.

Just not right on any level

 

[YF12A]

Have a good friend who flew RA-5's with Cunningham on his last Vietnam tour. Said Cunningham was a hell of a good pilot, but a hell of an asshole as an officer and not quite a gentleman.

 

[Mr.BR]

Being a swampy, corrupt politician. You know, the ones we all hate and despise as being "the reason shit is a fucked up as it is."

Shouldn't be pardoned. They do more damage to a country than most other criminals.

If you look at pardons by most presidents roster is filled with corrupt white collar criminals and politicians .

Why would you expect Trump to be different he might not be the Swamp creature but has always been the establishment , he also revoked his own 5y lobbying ban

''Trump revokes 5-year lobbying ban for administration officials on last day in office''​

Trump revokes 5-year lobbying ban for administration officials on last day in office

President Trump signed an executive order lifting a five-year lobbying ban for members of his administration just hours before he leaves office and Joe Biden is sworn in as the next president of th…

thehill.com

 

[IrishWind]

Have a good friend who flew RA-5's with Cunningham on his last Vietnam tour. Said Cunningham was a hell of a good pilot, but a hell of an asshole as an officer and not quite a gentleman.

Sounds like half the wardroom of VF-31 in the early 2000s

 

[YF12A]

Sounds like half the wardroom of VF-31 in the early 2000s

Yeah, I believe that. Another friend was acquainted with a couple of Blue Angels' pilots in the early 2000's. Said their best birth control around women was their egos, just out of control. Couldn't stand to be in the same room with them.

 

[IrishWind]

Yeah, I believe that. Another friend was acquainted with a couple of Blue Angels' pilots in the early 2000's. Said their best birth control around women was their egos, just out of control. Couldn't stand to be in the same room with them.

I wish that was true. But also watch a lot of women who had the 'It you are not a Naval Aviator, you are shit' motto. And then also saw same crying because those same guys cheated on ther wives/girlfriends like they didn't matter. Half of me felt bad because of black rat rules. Other half had zero sympathy since they knew how they were marrying.

 

[clcustom1911]

If you look at pardons by most presidents roster is filled with corrupt white collar criminals and politicians .

Why would you expect Trump to be different he might not be the Swamp creature but has always been the establishment , he also revoked his own 5y lobbying ban

''Trump revokes 5-year lobbying ban for administration officials on last day in office''​

Trump revokes 5-year lobbying ban for administration officials on last day in office

President Trump signed an executive order lifting a five-year lobbying ban for members of his administration just hours before he leaves office and Joe Biden is sworn in as the next president of th…

thehill.com

Yeah that pissed me off. What a fucker.