World War II Honoree

William Anthony Cunningham

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Hyde Park, Massachusetts

Honored By

Francis Gerard Curran, Jr.

Relationship

Nephew

PETTY OFFICER SECOND CLASS, U.S. NAVY, U.S. NAVAL RESERVE. GUNNER'S MATE AND COXWAIN. ENLISTED ON DECEMBER 15, 1942 AT NAVY RECRUITING STATION BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS AND ENTERED THE SERVICE AT NAVAL TRAINING STATION, NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND. ATTENDED ARMED GUARD TRAINING CENTER AT LITTLE CREEK, VIRGINIA AND LANDING CRAFT SCHOOL AT AMPHIBIOUS TRAINING BASE, OCEANSIDE, CALIFORNIA. SERVED AT THE NAVAL ARMED GUARD CENTER, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK AND ON THE USS TALITA (AKS-8) AND USS LCT(6)-1018. ALSO SAW DETACHED SERVICE WITH THE BRITISH ROYAL NAVY ON THE COMMANDEERED DUTCH OCEAN LINER NEW AMSTERDAM TRANSPORTING AMBULATORY WOUNDED AND ENEMY PRISONERS OF WAR FROM SOUTH AFRICA, MADAGASCAR, INDIA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND THE SOLOMON ISLANDS TO THE U.S. HONORABLY DISCHARGED AT NAVAL PERSONNEL SEPARATION CENTER, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS ON FEBRUARY 19, 1946. AWARDED THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL WITH ONE BATTLE STAR (OKINAWA) AND NAVY GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL. DATES OF ACTIVE SERVICE: FEBRUARY 9, 1943 TO FEBRUARY 19, 1946.