A Living Link to History: One Family’s Pearl Harbor Story
By Gregory Kendall, Public Affairs Specialist
When Americans reflect on the attack on Pearl Harbor, they often picture the servicemembers who fought that day.
Less often remembered are the military families, wives, children, and even infants, whose lives were forever changed on December 7, 1941. One of those children may now be among the oldest living U.S. citizens to have survived the attack.
According to his son, Tom Cunningham, Stanley Charles Cunningham was just one year old when Pearl Harbor was attacked, making him a rare living civilian survivor of one of the most pivotal moments in American history.
“My father doesn’t remember the attack itself, of course,” Tom Cunningham said, “but Pearl Harbor has always been a part of our family’s story. It shaped the course of our lives and our service to this country.”
Stanley Cunningham was born in November 1940 in Long Beach, California. His father, Thomas Cunningham, was serving in the U.S. Navy as a gunner aboard the USS Honolulu. In early 1941, the Cunningham family relocated to Oahu, including Thomas, his wife Mary, and their infant son, joining thousands of Navy families stationed in Hawaii in the months leading up to World War II.
On the morning of December 7, 1941, while Thomas was assigned to his ship, Mary and baby Stanley were on the island when Japanese forces launched their surprise attack. Amid the chaos, fear, and devastation of that day, the Cunningham family survived.
They remained in Hawaii for approximately one month following the attack, experiencing the immediate aftermath as the island shifted to a wartime footing. Eventually, Mary and Stanley returned to the mainland for safety, while Thomas continued his naval service. He went on to serve a distinguished career in the U.S. Navy, ultimately rising to the rank of Captain.
The family’s legacy of service did not end with World War II. Carrying forward that tradition, Stanley later served his country as a U.S. Army servicemember, completing two tours of duty in Vietnam.
Today, Stanley Cunningham, who receives care at the Atlanta VA Health Care System, is 85 years old and continues to enjoy sharing his family’s connection to Pearl Harbor. “It’s important to remember that history isn’t just dates and battles,” Stanley Cunningham said. “It’s families, sacrifice, and people doing their duty when it matters most.”
From Pearl Harbor to Vietnam, the Cunningham family story reflects generations of sacrifice, resilience, and commitment to service. As firsthand connections to World War II continue to fade, stories like Stanley Cunningham’s serve as powerful reminders that history lives on through those who experienced it, and those who continue to honor it.