Winfield S. Cunningham
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| Winfield Scott Cunningham | |
|---|---|
| February 16, 1900 - March 3, 1986 | |
 Captain Winfield S. Cunningham, USN |
|
| Place of birth | Rockbridge, Richland County, Wisconsin |
| Place of death | Memphis, Tennessee |
| Allegiance | USN |
| Years of service | 1919-1950 |
| Rank | Rear Admiral |
| Commands | Wake Island |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Wake Island |
| Awards | Navy Cross Bronze Star Medal |
Winfield Scott Cunningham (16 February 1900 – 3 March 1986) was the Officer in Charge, Naval Activities, Wake Island when the tiny island was attacked by the Japanese on 8 December 1941. Cunningham commanded the defense of the island against the massive Japanese attack. After 26 days, the island was surrendered to the Japanese. Cunningham was taken prisoner and held as a POW in Japan. He was awarded the Navy Cross for his leadership at Wake Island.
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[edit] Biography
Winfield Cunningham was born on 16 February 1900 in Rockbridge, Wisconsin. He was the son of Frederick Michael and Ruth Ella (Moore) Cunningham. Cunningham attended high school at Camp Douglas. In 1916, at the age of 16, after completing his junior year in high school, he was appointed to the United States Naval Academy. Due to World War I, his graduating Class of 1920 was graduated early — on June 6, 1919. He was commissioned to the rank of Ensign and had his first assignment on the naval transport USS Martha Washington which brought troops home from France. He would then spend the next two years on ships off the waters of Turkey. In January 1922, aboard the USS Huron, he sailed for China where he would spend the next year and a half. Returning to the U.S., on May 3, 1923, he was promoted to Lieutenant (jg)), with the promotion backdated to an effective date of June 7, 1922.
While serving in China in 1922, after four years of sea duty, then-Ensign Cunningham applied to enter aviation training. Though turned down in this first request, he would put in requests several times before being accepted in 1924. On 14 February 1925, Lieutenant (jg) Cunningham reported at a Student Naval Aviator to Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. While in training he was promoted to Lieutenant (regular grade) on 7 June 1925 and designated a naval aviator on 11 September 1925.
Winfi He became a pilot — flying flighters and flying boats.
[edit] Wake Island
On 28 November 1941, CDR Cunningham reported for duty as Officer in Charge, All Naval Activities, Wake Island. His command briefing gave top priority to completing the construction of the naval air station, over any attention to improving the island's defenses.
On 8 December 1941, the word of the attack on Pearl Harbor reached Wake Island at 07:00, less than 2-1/2 hours after the attack began. Cunningham ordered the personnel to battle stations; while at the same time Major Devereux, Commanding Officer of the Wake Detachment of the 1st Defense Battalion ordered a "Call to Arms". Cunningham recalled the Philippine Clipper (Martin 130 flying boat) and set in motion plans for a scouting patrol. The patrol was to take off at 13:00; the bombing attack against Wake Island by the Japanese began at 1157. The bombing continued for days. On 11 November, Japanese ships approached the Island. Cunningham ordered the Wake Island guns to hold until the ships were close in. At first, the Japanese ships met with no resistance; then with the ships within range of the island defenses, the U.S. guns opened fire. The small U.S. force on the island was able to repulse the initial landing attempt, but they were in serious need of additional critical supplies and support — including gunsights, spare parts and fire-control radar — which Cunningham requested from the Commandant, 14th Naval District. But, no reinforcements were to come.
The island remained under attack by the Japanese. After 15 days under siege, on 23 December 1941, CDR Cunningham finally gave the order for surrender. Cunningham, along with surviving personnel and contractors, were taken captive.
[edit] Prisoner of War
Cunningham and his fellow prisoners were transported from Wake island aboard the Japanese transport Nitta Maru to Shanghai, China by way of Yokohama, Japan. Treatment was harsh — five POWs were executed onboard and some of the imprisoned contractors were later executed. Twice during his captivity, Cunningham attempted to escape and was later recaptured by the Japanese. During his captivity, he lost over 70 pounds. On 18 August 1945, after 1330 days of confinement, the Japanese prison commander announced the end of the war to the American prisoners. On 24 August 1945, Winfield left China on a U.S. Army plane, and finally arrived in the U.S. on 7 September 1945, the same day Wake Island was formerly surrendered by the Japanese.
[edit] Return to the U.S.
On 10 September 1945, Cunningham underwent a complete physical examination at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. He was found fit to return to duty. He ... On December 4, 1945, he received notice of his promotion to Captain, effective 20 June 1942. In January 1946, he began a period of retraining, beginning with refresher aviation training at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida.
In May 1946, Captain Cunningham returned to sea duty as the Commanding Officer of the USS Curtiss (AV-4). Cunningham's final duty was as Commanding Officer, Naval Technical Training Center, Memphis, Tennessee from 23 June 1947 until his retirement on 30 June 1950 at the rank of Rear Admiral.
[edit] Retirement
After retirement, Rear Admiral Cunningham lived in Memphis, Tennessee. He wroted the book, Wake Island Command (1961), about the historic battle. He died on 3 March 1986 at age 86 and was buried in the Memphis National Cemetery.
[edit] Bibliography
- Cunningham, Winfield S. (with Lydel Sims), Wake Island Command, Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1961. (ASIN B0006AX13C)
[edit] References
- Cunningham, Gregory Robert. Winfield Scott Cunningham, in Navy History, February 27, 2003. Retrieved on 2006-06-30.
- Cressman, Robert J. "Commander Winfield S. Cunningham", in A Magnificent Fight: Marines in the Battle for Wake Island, Marines in World War II Commemorative Series, History and Museum Division, United States Marine Corps. Retrieved on 2006-07-09.
- Keene, R.R. "Wake Island: The Corps Raised Its Name to Honor and Fame", American Legion Magazine, 1942 — reprinted in Leatherneck.
- Chapter III — 1941. The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II. Retrieved on 2006-07-09.
