Private First Class Cunningham was a member of the 29th Infantry Regimental Combat Team. He was seriously wounded by the enemy in South Korea on 4 September 1950 and evacuated to the U.S. on 11 October 1950. He returned to Korea and became a member of the 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in South Korea on 16 March 1951.

Cunningham was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.