Wake Island

On November 28, 1941, Cunningham, by now a commander, reported for duty as officer in charge, all naval activities, Wake Island. His command briefing gave top priority to completing the naval air station, over any attention to improving the island's defenses.

On December 8, 1941, news of the attack on Pearl Harbor naval / air bases in Hawaii reached Wake Island at 07:00 am, less than 2+1⁄2 hours after the Japanese struck further east. Cunningham ordered all personnel to battle stations; at the same time Major James Devereux, USMC commanding officer of the Wake Detachment of the 1st Marine Defense Battalion, ordered a "Call to Arms". Cunningham recalled the Philippine Clipper (a Martin 130 flying boat) of Pan American Airways and set in motion plans for a scouting patrol. It was to take off at 13:00 hours (1:00 pm). However, a bombing attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy began at 1157. The bombing continued for days. On December 11, Japanese warships approached the Island.

Cunningham ordered the Marine commander, Major James Devereux, to hold their fire until the ships were in easy range. The small U.S. force on the island repulsed the initial landing attempt, but they were in serious need of additional supplies and support – including gunsights, spare parts and fire-control radar – which Cunningham had requested earlier from the commandant, 14th Naval District. But no reinforcements were to come by the attack.

Wake remained under attack by the Japanese. After 15 days, with Japanese marines finally swarming over the island, on December 23, 1941, Cunningham finally gave the order for surrender. Cunningham, along with surviving personnel and contractors, were taken captive.

Prisoner of war

Commander Cunningham as a POW aboard the Japanese transport Nitta Maru, at Yokohama, Japan, January 1942.

Cunningham and his fellow prisoners were taken aboard the Japanese transport Nitta Maru to Shanghai, China by way of Yokohama, Japan. Treatment was harsh – five POWs were executed on board, and the imprisoned contractors left on Wake were later executed. Twice during his captivity, Cunningham attempted to escape and was later recaptured by the Japanese. During his captivity, he lost over 70 pounds. On August 18, 1945, after 1330 days of confinement, the Japanese prison commander announced the end of the war.

On August 24, 1945, Cunningham left China aboard a U.S. Army aircraft. He finally arrived in the U.S., returning on September 4, 1945, the same day Wake Island was formally surrendered by the Japanese to an arriving U.S. Marine detachment.

Return to the U.S.

On September 10, 1945, Cunningham underwent a complete physical examination at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. He was found fit to return to duty. On December 4, 1945, he received notice of his promotion to captain, effective June 20, 1942. In January 1946, he began a period of retraining, beginning with refresher aviation training at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida.

In May 1946, Captain Cunningham returned to sea duty as the commanding officer of the seaplane tender USS Curtiss (AV-4). During his time as commander, Curtiss operated with patrol squadrons in the Formosa Strait, ferried men and supplies to outlying bases and made several visits to Qingdao, China, before returning the United States in March 1947.

Cunningham's final duty was as commanding officer, Naval Technical Training Center, Memphis, Tennessee, from June 23, 1947, until his retirement on June 30, 1950, at the rank of rear admiral.

Retirement

After retirement, Cunningham lived in Memphis, Tennessee. He wrote a book, Wake Island Command (1961), about the historic battle. He died on March 3, 1986, at age 86 and was buried in the Memphis National Cemetery.

Navy Cross citation

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Commander Winfield Scott Cunningham (NSN: 0-56074), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station, Wake Island, where he was responsible for directing defenses of that post during the Japanese siege from 7 through 22 December 1941, against impossible odds. Commander Cunningham's inspiring leadership and the valiant devotion to duty of his command contributed in large measure to the outstanding success of these vital missions and reflect great credit upon the United States Naval Service. General Orders: Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 317 (August 1943)

Action Date: December 7–22, 1941