Rear Adm. Kenneth W. “Pete” Pettigrew, a Top Gun instructor, served as a consultant on the 1986 film "Top Gun," a scene from which is shown here. (U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command) Randall H.

Randall H. Cunningham, the sole U.S. Navy ace pilot of the Vietnam War, called him "the greatest guy I trained under," and subsequently flew practically alongside him during Operation Linebacker. In ...