Rank: Specialist 4
Unit: H Company, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11E – Armor Crewman
Awards: Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges: Combat Infantryman Badge
Unit awards: Valorous Unit Award, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Regular
Date of birth: 1-Jan-1948
Hometown: Spencerville, Maryland
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 23-Jun-1969
Start of tour: 23-Dec-1969
Incident date: 14-May-1970
Date of casualty: 14-May-1970
Age at death: 22
Cause of death: Hostile, Died. Small Arms Fire. Gun or small arms fire.
Richad Savage Cunningham was killed while a crew member of a military vehicle on a combat operation when a hostile force was encountered. / Crewman on M-48 tank on reconnaissance mission. Engaged hostile force in firefight.
Two Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SP4 Richard Savage Cunningham
SSG James Charles Daigle
Location of fatality: Cambodia, XU 785 395
Place of interment: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, USA
View this soldier‘s Find a Grave page (opens in a new window)
SILVER STAR
POSTHUMOUS
SPECIALIST FOUR RICHARD SAVAGE CUNNINGHAM
14 MAY 1970
H COMPANY, 2nd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Specialist Four Cunningham distinguished himself for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force on 14 May 1970 while serving as a tank driver with Troop H, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, Troop H was on a reconnaissance mission east of Snoul, Cambodia when contact was made with four enemy rocket-propelled grenade teams. As the company prepared to assault the enemy position, a rocket-propelled grenade struck Specialist Cunningham’s vehicle, totally disabling it, injuring the entire crew and mortally wounding the tank commander. Wounded and in great pain, Specialist Cunningham climbed atop the tank to the machine gun and immediately began placing accurate suppressive fire upon the enemy position. Even though the enemy directed intense fire towards him, Specialist Cunningham continued to return fire, allowing the medics to remove the wounded soldiers from the disabled vehicle. While in an exposed position, another rocket-propelled grenade struck his tank, mortally wounding him. Specialist Four Cunningham’s actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
Headquarters, II Field Force Vietnam, General Orders No. 2794 (July 1, 1970)