World War II Honoree

Joseph Ralph Cunningham

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Travelers Rest, South Carolina

Honored By

James O. Sweeny

Relationship

Classmate

HE ENLISTED IN THE AIR FORCE PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR. ON DECEMBER 6, 1941 HE WAS A MEMBER OF A COMBAT CREW THAT LANDED IN HAWAII, WITNESSED THE EVENTS OF DECEMBER 7, AND WAS TRANSSHIPPED TO AUSTRALIA. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE 435TH BOMBER SQUADRON WHEN IT WAS ACTIVATED IN AUSTRALIA ON MARCH 16, 1942. HE SAW COMBAT DUTY IN THE BATTLE OF THE CORAL SEA AND IN THE NEW GUINEA AND NEW BRITAIN AREAS. ON AUGUST 14, 1942, HE LEFT NEW GUINEA ON A RECONNAISSANCE MISSION AS PART OF THE CREW OF THE CHIEF SEATTLE, WHICH NEVER RETURNED AND WAS NEVER RECOVERED. HE WAS AWARDED THE AIR MEDAL AND THE PURPLE HEART.