Alfred Cunningham
| Alfred Austell Cunningham | |
|---|---|
1st Marine Corps aviator
1st Director of Marine Corps Aviation |
|
| Born |
March 8, 1882 Atlanta, Georgia |
| Died | May 27, 1939 (aged 58) Sarasota, Florida |
| Place of burial | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Marine Corps
|
| Years of service | 1898, 1909–1935 |
| Rank |
 Lieutenant Colonel
|
| Commands held | Marine Corps Aviation |
| Battles/wars |
Spanish–American War *Cuban Campaign World War I *Western Front The Banana Wars *Occupation of the Dom. Rep. *Occupation of Nicaragua |
| Awards | Navy Cross |
Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Austell Cunningham (March 8, 1882 – May 27, 1939) was a United States Marine Corps officer who became the first Marine Corps aviator and the first Director of Marine Corps Aviation. His military career included service in the Spanish–American War, World War I, and U.S. operations in the Caribbean during the 1920s.
Cunningham was born in Atlanta, Georgia. His interest in aviation began in 1903 when he watched a balloon ascend one afternoon. The next time the balloon went up he was in it and from then on he was considered himself a "confirmed aeronautical enthusiast". He enlisted in the 3rd Georgia Volunteer Infantry regiment during the Spanish–American War and served a tour of occupation duty in Cuba. He spent the next decade selling real estate in Atlanta. During this time evinced an interest in aeronautics, making a balloon ascent in 1903.
At the age of twenty-seven, he returned to the military life, mostly because he thought that he would be given the opportunity to fly. He was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps on 25 January 1909.
As a Lieutenant, Alfred Cunningham retained an interest in aeronautics, he found at Philadelphia a likewise avid group of civilians and off-duty military men who harbored an interest in the same thing. He rented an airplane and gained permission from the Commandant of the Navy Yard to use an open field at the Philadelphia Navy Yard for test flights. He also joined the Aero Club of Philadelphia, and commenced "selling" Marine Corps aviation to members of the Aero Club, who, through their Washington connections, began to pressure a number of officials, including Major General Commandant William P. Biddle, himself a member of a prominent Philadelphia family.
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