Letter from Joseph Cunnigham

Dear American Airpower Museum

I assume it was you that sent me the copy of Flightline which I received today. I do thank you for thinking of me to send me a copy. I don’t know if you will believe me, but I can still remember the day you phoned me and asked me if I had submitted an essay for the Stop & Shop Flight of Aces for the year 2000. I told you I did not as I did not see any notice in the local newspapers that there was to be a contest for the year 2000. And, I can still remember the next few words you said, which I don’t think I will ever forget and they were, “What A Bummer” and then you said you have on your desk before you the essays I submitted for the year 1998 and 1999. I think after that you said was I sitting down. You then said guess what the Flight of Aces had selected my essay as the winner for the year 2000.

I can still remember that day well, what a day it was for me and what a flight it was as well. You really made my day and I owe it all to you. I can’t thank you enough. I hope all is well with you, I gather you must be at Republic a great deal of the time. You really know how to run an event. The Flight of Aces and my award of the French Jubilee of Liberty Medal at Republic Airport and the American Airpower Museum is certainly a tribute to you as to what can be expected at an event you undertake.

I hope you are well and all is well with you and I hope to hear from you again. I do thank you very much for everything you did.

I was invited by the Navy and Northrop Grumman at Avondale Industries at New Orleans, LA to attend the christening of the USS New York LPD 21 on this past March 1, 2008, however, I had to decline as my wife has Alzheimers Disease and she is not well enough to make the trip to New Orleans and I would not leave her alone, so I had to decline as much as I wanted to attend. I have been invited by the Navy and Northrop Grumman to attend the commissioning of the New York in New York City whenever it takes place in 2009. I have every intention to be there if I am still around. I have now reached 87 years of age, but I expect to be there and that is not too far for my wife to make the trip.

Again, I say thank you (to the American Airpower Museum) for everything, you have helped to make my life somewhat better. I do thank you. Good luck to you.

Sincerely,
Joseph Cunningham