Edward T. Cunliffe, Sr.

 
 

July 2, 1922 – October 18, 2021

 

Editor’s note: The following was written by Edward T. Cunliffe, Jr. when his father was selected to be the Grand Marshall of the 2019 4th of July parade in Audubon, NJ. Edward T. Cunliffe, Sr. also requested that his flight crew be recognized.

Born on July 2, 1922 in Camden, NJ, he was the youngest of four children raised by John (Jack) and Ada Cunliffe of Audubon. During the depression he and his family moved from Audubon to Avalon NJ, a coastal town. Returning once the depression was over, he graduated with the Audubon High School class of ‘39

At the age of 20 Mr. Cunliffe joined the United States Army Air Corp. He received training in different activities of flying both at the Sioux Falls Army Air Base and Baylor University, being awarded the Air Crew Member Wings.

He was assigned to a B-17 Flying Fortress, a four engine heavy bomber as Tail Gunner,  stationed at Horham Airfield in England, joining the 8th Airforce, 95th Bomb Group, 412th Squadron. He participated in daylight bombing missions of Hitlers industrial facilities and other bombing missions over Europe.

On their 6th bombing mission Mr. Cunliffe was shot down over Poland , April 11, 1944. With seven crew lost, he was captured by German soldiers after parachuting from his disabled plane. He was imprisoned at Stalag XVIIB, Austria.  After 13 months of captivity he participated in a grueling 200+ mile march away from his camp where he was eventually liberated by Patton’s Third Army May of ’45, returned back to the States in June of that year.

Mr Cunliffe worked as a Senior Draftsman at the New Your Ship Building Company, Camden NJ, from 1939 – 1968, then Campbell Soup Company, Camden NJ,  as a Senior Draftsman until his retirement in 1988

He was married to Dorothy Jane (Hartman) Cunliffe also of Audubon NJ for 62 years until her passing in 2018. They raised three children; Susan, Wendy and Edward Jr. in the Barclay Farms area of Cherry Hill.   

  • LT Garland Maddox – Pilot, Prisoner of War

  • LT Ewalt E. Kuchling – Co-Pilot, Killed in Action

  • LT Joseph F. Krecji – Navigator, Prisoner of War

  • LT J. W. Boren – Bombardier, Killed in Action

  • S/SGT Louis J. Brown – Gunner, Missing in Action

  • S/SGT John P. Jones – Gunner, Killed in Action

  • S/SGT Edward M. Jerstaad – Gunner, Killed in Action

  • S/SGT James Radcliffe – Gunner, Killed in Action

  • S/SGT Raymond C. Borden – Gunner, Killed in Action

  • S/SGT Edward T. Cunliffe – Gunner, Prisoner of War

 
Janie McKnight