Duke Cunningham, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and F-4 Phantom II pilot has passed away at the age of 83. Cunningham, who was one of only two U.S. Navy aviators to become aces in the Vietnam War, entered the history books after flying an F-4 Phantom II from aboard the USS Constellation, and recording five aerial victories against North Vietnamese aircraft in 1972.
Another F-4 Phantom Pilot Lost to Father Time
Cunningham passed away on August 27, 2025, in Little Rock, Arkansas. He was born on December 8, 1941, in Los Angeles.
Cunningham’s long and storied life also saw him become an instructor in the U.S. Navy’s Fighter Weapons School, known as TOPGUN, at Naval Air Station Miramar located in San Diego. It was here that he was court-martialed for allegedly breaking into the office of a commanding officer to compare his records with those of his colleagues. But despite the controversy, Cunningham went on to work as a CNN commentator, and later, as a representative for the 44th, 51st, and 50th districts of California between 1991 and 2005.
It was Cunningham’s status as a Vietnam war hero that made him so popular. While flying the F-4 Phantom II, he and his Navigation/Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) William Driscoll scored three kills in a single flight, earning them both the Navy Cross. During their final aerial exchange, both Cunningham and Driscoll ejected from their F-4 over the water after they were hit by an SA-2 surface-to-air missile.
Speaking about that final aerial battle – a dogfight with a Vietnamese MiG – Cunningham recounted his experience as the enemy aircraft followed him.
“I pulled hard up in the vertical, figuring that the MiG would keep right on going for home,” he said. “I looked back and…there was the MiG…canopy to canopy with me! He couldn’t have been more than thirty feet away…I could see the pilot clearly…leather helmet, goggles, scarf… we were both going straight up, but I was outzooming him,”
Cunningham explained how the MiG “fell behind” and began shooting as he came over the top.
“I had given him a predictable flight path,” he explained.
The F-4 Phantom Is a Pure Legend
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II that helped propel Cunningham to fame is remarkable in its own right.
Introduced in the 1960s, the twin-engine, two-seat fighter was one of the most versatile aircraft in U.S. service, serving with the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps in roles ranging from fleet defense to ground attack.
It could reach speeds over Mach 2, and was both feared and admired during the Vietnam War, where it became the backbone of American air power.
The aircraft’s adaptability kept it in front-line service for decades, even as newer fourth-generation fighters emerged.
I Got Right Up Close to the F-4 Phantom Just This Weekend
On Saturday, I took my family on a recent trip to visit the F-4 Phantom fighter on display at the Empire State Aerosciences Museum.
Above and below are some of the images I was able to capture.
They don’t just do it to the history of this plane, and, of course, the pilots who flew it for decades.
F-4 Phantom Images Original National Security Journal.
About the Author:
Jack Buckby is a British author, counter-extremism researcher, and journalist based in New York who writes frequently for National Security Journal. Reporting on the U.K., Europe, and the U.S., he works to analyze and understand left-wing and right-wing radicalization, and reports on Western governments’ approaches to the pressing issues of today. His books and research papers explore these themes and propose pragmatic solutions to our increasingly polarized society. His latest book is The Truth Teller: RFK Jr. and the Case for a Post-Partisan Presidency.
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