World War II Honoree

Norman A. Cunningham

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Searsmont, Maine

Honored By

Family and Friends

MEMBER OF THE 229TH ORDNANCE EVACUATION COMPANY, 34TH 'RED BULL' DIVISION, 5TH ARMY. HIS PRIMARY DUTY ENTAILED DAMAGED TANK RETRIEVAL. HE PARTICIPATED IN THE FOLLOWING BATTLES AND CAMPAIGNS: TUNISIAN, NAPLES-FOGGIA, ROME-ARNO, SOUTHERN FRANCE AND GERMANY. EMBARKED FOR NORTHERN IRELAND ON 14 JANUARY 1942, THEN TO DIVISIONS FIRST COMBAT IN TUNISIA, NORTH AFRICA 8 NOVEMBER 1942, SEIZING THE PORT OF ALGIERS. THEN TO ITALY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LANDINGS AT SALERNO AND BATTLES OF MOUNT TROCHIO, MONASTERY HILL, MONTE CASINO AND THE GUSTAF LINE. PARTICIPATED IN THE ASSAULT OF THE ANZIO BEACHHEAD 25 MARCH 1944 AND THE BATTLE OF MOUNT BELMONTE ON THE GOTHIC LINE. THE DIVISION'S PURSUIT OF ENEMY FORCES TO THE FRENCH BORDER WAS HALTED ON 2 MAY 1945 ON THE GERMAN UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER ENDING THE WAR IN EUROPE. THE DIVISION PARTICIPATED IN SIX MAJOR ARMY CAMPAIGNS IN NORTH AFRICA AND ITALY AND WAS CREDITED WITH AMASSING 517 DAYS OF FRONT LINE COMBAT. HE IS THE RECIPIENT OF THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN RIBBON WITH 5 BATTLE STARS, THE AMERICAN DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, THE WWII VICTORY MEDAL AND THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL.