VIETNAM - CUNNINGHAM, RICHARD SAVAGE

Cunningham, Richard Savage

VIETNAM - CUNNINGHAM, RICHARD SAVAGE
CUNNINGHAM, RICHARD SAVAGE

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)

Vietnam Veterans Memorial panel and row: 10W 039 (view Vietnam Veterans Memorial link in a new window)

 

SILVER STAR

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)