Published: August 30, 2008 10:31 pm         

SHS grad honored for Iraq duty

• Luke Cunningham awarded Bronze Star after pulling injured comrade to safety

A Stillwater High School graduate was recently awarded two high honors from the U.S. Army for his actions while serving in Iraq.

Staff Sgt. Luke Cunningham was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor due to valorous actions on May 2, when a fellow soldier was shot in the face by a sniper while guarding a joint security station in Sadr City.

At the time, Cunningham, with, according to the citation, complete disregard for his own safety, remained in the open under sniper and heavy AK-47 fire to drag a severely wounded soldier under cover. His actions prevented the soldier from receiving further injuries and allowed him to receive immediate lifesaving medical aid. Since the attack, the soldier is almost fully recovered.

Cunningham was also awarded the Purple Heart due to his vehicle being hit by an improvised explosive device in March.

He is a 2003 graduate of SHS, where he played football and baseball. He is the son of Jon and Brenda Cunningham of Stillwater and Tami Peck of Edmond.

He is currently serving his second tour with the Army and is enlisted until 2010. He plans to make law enforcement part of his long-term career plans.

“I cannot put into words what I feel when I think of the sacrifice my son is making for our country,” said Jon Cunningham. “I am so proud of him and what he is doing everyday over in Iraq. Emotions overtake me and I get cold chills when I think of the constant dangers the soldiers put themselves in.”

     

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