Kerry called 'Hanoi John' by Republican in US House

NZ Herald ^ | 4-23-04

[jackbill]

Rep. Ray LaHood, an Illinois Republican, chaired the House at the time of the heated exchanges and repeatedly pointed out that chamber rules do not permit personal attacks on senators.

Yet the drumbeat of criticism against Senator Kerry of Massachusetts continued.

I suspect that Representative LaHood was saying, quietly, "You go guys".

Finally, we see some Republicans with cajones.

[GretchenM]

fyi

The dam broke.

[GretchenM]

fyi

[GretchenM]

This is so bogus. "McDermott said: "For anybody to come out here and attack his (Kerry's) war record, you have to have pretty good credentials."

No one has to have served in Viet Nam with hero status to be enraged by and speak out against what Kerry did to my fellow American citizen soldiers.

[kcvl]

The "hit the brakes and he'll fly right by" maneuver was invented by Randy "Duke" Cunningham, a Vietnam ace and the first commanding officer of TOPGUN.

U.S. Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham, the man on whom the movie "Top Gun" was based.

Randy H. “Duke” Cunningham was the first American pilot ace of the Vietnam War. Born in 1941 in Los Angeles, California, he was told by a soothsayer as a child that he would become a famous pilot. After earning two degrees in education from the University of Missouri and then coaching two high school swimmers to Olympic medals, Cunningham was commissioned in the US Navy in 1967. He graduated at the top of his class in 1968 and was then sent to the McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II Replacement Air Group at Miramar, California. Upon graduation, Cunningham’s new unit, Fighter Squadron 96 (VF-96), was unprepared to receive him so he was given temporary duty at the new “Top Gun” Fighter Weapons School. He eventually joined VF-96 and participated with them in the Navy’s first-ever Fleet Adversary Program, which was similar to a mini-Top Gun class. It was also at this time that his love for John Wayne movies and his aggressive character earned him the nickname “Duke.” Following an uneventful tour in Vietnam aboard the USS America, his unit returned to Miramar to complete a second Fleet Adversary Program. VF-96 then returned to combat aboard the USS Constellation. On 19 January 1972, Cunningham and radar intercept officer, Bill Driscoll, downed a MiG-21 Fishbed in a treetop-level dogfight. It was their first victory and ended a 2-year lull in the air war. On 8 May 1972, Cunningham engaged three MiG-17 Frescos and shot one tailing his wingman. Two days later, at the onset of Operation LINEBACKER, over 20 MiGs attacked his formation while flying east of Hanoi. In an intense battle, he quickly destroyed a MiG-17. Turning to assist others, he downed a second MiG-17, saving his executive officer. He then flew head-on into another MiG-17. However, this adversary was no ordinary pilot. It took three engagements, but Cunningham managed to down him. Unfortunately, while heading back to the carrier, his Phantom was hit by an SA-2 Guideline. Ejecting over the Gulf of Tonkin, he and Driscoll were rescued by a Navy helicopter. After the war, Cunningham held several staff positions and eventually commanded Fighter Squadron 126, the Pacific Fleet Adversary Squadron. He retired in 1987 and took a position as the Dean of the School of Aviation at National University in San Diego, California. Passionate about civic affairs, Cunningham ran for public office in 1990. In 2002, he was elected to his seventh term in the House of Representatives, representing California's 50th Congressional District. Cunningham currently serves on the House Appropriations Committee, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and on five subcommittees.

SETTING: On 10 May 1972, Duke Cunningham became the first pilot ace of the Vietnam War and the first Navy jet ace in history. He was also the only American to down three MiGs in one day, including a victory over a leading ace. Unable to out-climb the MiG, Cunningham chopped the throttles on his McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II and slowed to 150 knots. When the MiG overshot him, Cunningham closed quickly and destroyed it. His actions earned him a Medal of Honor nomination. He was also the inspiration for the hit movie Top Gun.

[Petronski]

LOL funny, and of course, Baghdad Jim McDermott was there on the spot to defend old Flipper.

[mystery-ak]

Thanks for the ping...Mike and I got a chuckle out of this...

[SJSAMPLE]

Randy Cunningham was already engaged in a "scissors" fight for some time when he FINALLY managed to outmaneuver the Vietnamese pilot. They had both been trading and gaining both altitude and speed, at extremely close range, for some time when the Vietnamese pilot finally overshot Randy. That dogfight was far more than the BS maneuver in Top Gun. Every military pilot I know (at least six fighter pilots) was embarassed by that maneuver.

[kcvl]

Jim McDermott's Military Record:

U.S. Navy Medical Corps, Lieutenant Commander, Chief Psychiatrist, Long Beach Naval Station, California, 1968-70.

[F.J. Mitchell]

Look on the bright side, it could be worse............maybe not.

[GailA]

Must be FR lurkers.

[Ben Chad]

Sam Johnson (Plano, Tx) BUMP

[b4its2late]

Johnson said. "It's called 'Hanoi John'."

Works for me!

[kcvl]

Yes, it could be worse. You could be from Arkansas; home of Bill Clinton (the draft dodger)& Chelsea Clinton. We don't have to claim Hillary because she was transplanted from Illinois.

[dstarr]

I'm glad to see some of Kerry's anti-Viet Nam feelings being brought up. My husband served over there and had rotten tomatoes and onions thrown on him when he came off of the plane. He was called a "baby killer" and a "murderer" for just going there and doing his job so that he could get his tour over with. He stayed in the army after Viet Nam and retired with 22 years and some odd months. He had also been in the other unpopular war, the Korean War. He died two weeks ago. He is my hero.

[Kate of Spice Island]

The proper honorific is "Senator Hanoi John."

***************************************

I thought it was "Senator Hanoi John F'n Ketchup."

Someone mentioned to lay low until the nomination. Either way, the Darksiders are stuck with their peckers in their hands. What will the public make of an entire party of fools?

They are in the position of having to use the south end of their mascot this time around. F'n Ketchup is head of the "Double Jackass Committee" this week and he has the party backing him up.

[Libertina]

LOL Quiet! Re-booted my 'puter and all is fine now.
(Musta been the tin foil!)

[Criminal Number 18F]

Not only was Duke Cunningham all the things you said... check out Sam Johnson.

http://www.nasm.si.edu/getinvolved/membership/pevents/johnson_bio.htm

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F

[F.J. Mitchell]

I feel your pain. I was stationed at Blytheville AFB from 56 to 64, my youngest son was born there. Who then would ever have thought a Clinton critter (Who besides fiction writers had ever imagined a critter such as Clinton?) could be elected Governor a decade or so later? Who would ever have thought one could become a two term President of the USA?

I almost told the Chussettesan, that he could wind up in Barney Frank's district (yes it can always get worse) but I feared being branded a homophobe and chickened out.

[Criminal Number 18F]

McDermott said: "For anybody to come out here and attack his (Kerry's) war record, you have to have pretty good credentials."

And both Cunningham and Johnson have better credentials than Kerry -- even assuming Kerry's "heroism," which the records sure make look fishy, is real.

And everybody has better credentials than McDermott, who has been busted as a phony Vietnam vet (He was in a city that, like Vietnam, is near the Pacific Ocean. Even though it's in California. A simple misunderstanding....)

d.o.l.

Criminal Number 18F