Name:
Robert Firmin Cunningham
Rank:
Second Lieutenant
Serial Number:
O-717756
Unit:
778th Bomber Squadron, 464th Bomber Group, Heavy
Date of Death:
0000-00-00
State:
Missouri
Cemetery:
Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial, Belgium
Plot:
C
Row:
8
Grave:
37
Decoration:
Comments:
Robert Cunningham was born on April 23, 1923 and was from St. Louis, Missouri. He served as the Bombadier on B-24 (42-51964) of the 778th Bomber Squadron, 464th Bomber Group which was based out of Pantanella Airbase in Italy.
On October 17, 1944, this plane was a mission to bomb the heavily defended city of Vienna. Over Vienna, the plane was hit and badly damaged. Two of the crew were killed in flight; the others parachuted out and all were captured except for one who died on impact. A memorial in Zohor, Slovakia remembers the plane and two crewmembers who died with the plane.
Cunningham was killed after parachuting out of the aircraft.