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First Lieutenant Samuel C. Cunningham,
a 1996 Westminster College graduate, was
recently awarded the Bronze Star with combat
distinguishing device by the United States
Marine Corps for his achievements in combat
operations.
“I was in the reserves for five years after I
graduated from Westminster, but in the summer
of 2000 I decided to go into active duty and seek
a commission as an officer,” Cunningham said.
“After I completed several officerʼs schools, I was
sent to the 2 nd Battalion, 2 nd Marine Regiment,
nicknamed ʻThe Warlords.ʼ”
Cunninghamʼs first deployment of nine months
took him to Kosovo, Horn of Africa, United Arab
Emirates, Kuwait, and the first phase of Operation
Iraqi Freedom when the war started.
“I was rifle platoon commander and responsible
for 30 other Marines,” Cunningham said. “We
attacked north to Baghdad and then west to Al
Amarah, and after a month of combat we boarded
the ships and went home.”
During his second tour for Operation
Iraqi Freedom II, from March-October 2004,
Cunninghamʼs job changed.
“This time I had two jobs – Combined
Action Platoon commander (CAP) and 81 MM
Mortar Platoon commander for 50 Marines,”
Cunningham said. “CAP was originally used in
Vietnam where Marines lived, worked, trained,
and fought alongside of the local militias. We
did the same thing here only with about 800 Iraqi
National Guardsmen (ING). Our job was to train,
mentor, operate with, live with, and take care of
the soldiers tactically and administratively with
good gear, pay, and food. The more time we spent
with them, the more we got to know them, and the
better we operated as a team despite the different
cultures, countries, religions, and beliefs.
“My second job was dropping high explosive
shells on the bad guys from distances as far as
5,700 meters,” Cunningham continued. “We saw
a lot of action in April 2004 in Fallujah, Zaidan,
and in Mahmudiyah, which is 15 minutes south of
Baghdad. The country just exploded in violence.
We were engaged with the Mehdi Army (al Sadr
militia), foreign fighters, and sympathizers for
the former regime. My first contact was the
bridge.”
The summary of this action was recorded in the
authorization of the combat distinguishing device.
Alumni Spotlight:
Samuel Cunningham ʼ96
Westminster Alumnus Awarded Bronze Star
It reads in part: “While leading a team
of 60 personnel that was personally
dispatched by the Assistant Division
Commander to seize a strategically
important bridge on Main Supply Route
Tampa, his valorous actions prevented
an enemy platoonʼs attempt to destroy
the bridge. During conventional mortar
operations, he supervised the firing of
more than 200 rounds in support of
troops in contact and for counterbattery
fires in Al Fallujah and Zaidan…By his
zealous initiative, courageous actions
and exceptional dedication to duty,
First Lieutenant Cunningham reflected
great credit upon himself and upheld
the highest traditions of the Marine
Corps and the United States Naval
Service.”
“After two months in Mahmudiyah,
we went to Fallujah and set up part
of the cordon in the southwestern
part of the city,” Cunningham said.
“While standing on a rooftop, we
came under intense fire from the city
approximately 800 meters away. One
of my staff sergeants and I took cover
behind a wall; we looked at each other
and began to laugh. Men act strange
in combat, and I know Iʼll never be
able to understand my laughter. ʻThose
________ are trying to kill us!ʼ I said
as we chuckled. I looked over the wall
out into the city. It looked like the
red carpet area at the Academy Awards. There
were flashes everywhere, hundreds of them like
cameras, but they were gun muzzle flashes.”
Family was often on Cunninghamʼs mind while
he was away.
“My family stood by me 100 percent during
both deployments. I was more worried about
them than getting killed,” Cunningham said. “I
accepted the fact before I left that I might die and
made all the preparations. But I did worry about
my family because they were constantly worried
about me. My wife, Danielle [Fox Cunningham
ʼ99], is tougher than anyone I ever met. During
our first two years of marriage, I was deployed 17
months out of 24. My whole family is much closer
now, and has an unbreakable bond.”
Cunningham is also thankful for the Marines
Above: First Lieutenant Samuel Cunningham with “his boys,”
the Iraqi National Guardsmen, during a break in training. Below:
Cunningham with his family when he received a Bronze Star for
valorous service. From left to right, mother-in-law Betty Fox,
mother Josephine Cunningham, wife Danielle Fox Cunningham,
father Carl Cunningham and father-in-law Bob Fox.
of his CAP/81 platoon.
“They are aggressive, dedicated, professional,
and heroic, and these young men never ceased
to amaze me with the incredible things that they
did in the face of enemy fire and operating with
their brothers in the ING. It was an honor and
a privilege to serve with them as their platoon
commander.
“Out of the 44 Marines, 10 were wounded and
received the Purple Heart and 13 received medals
for heroism,” Cunningham concluded. “My
true reward was completing my own personal
mission: We successfully complete all missions
and brought all of the Marines in the platoon
home alive.”
– Carol Eberhart
America, a protective packaging
manufacturer in New Brighton.
Michael Zebrine received his
masterʼs in history from Slippery
Rock University and is a history
teacher in the South Butler County
School District. He and his wife,
Julie Bach Zebrine ʼ99, reside in
Gibsonia.
01 Shannan Henry has moved
to New Haven, Conn., to become
a research specialist in the
neuroscience molecular imaging
program at Yale University School
of Medicine. A co-author of four
journal articles and three reviews,
Shannan is also employed as
a brain imaging consultant by
UPMC.
Anna Leroy VanTheemsche of
King George, Va., has accepted
an administrative position as
instructional technology liaison at
Sealston Elementary School.
Shawn McGoran has relocated to
Presto. He is a senior accountant
with Dickʼs Sporting Goods.
Summer 2005 • Westminster College Magazine
27