SOCRS087- John Cunningham- "Freedom, Protecting Your People & Splendid Isolation"

Straight Outta Combat Radio-Honoring Combat Wisdom

John Cunningham is originally from Baytown, TX. He attended the United States Military Academy West Point in 1963, he was the first person in his family to join the military. "All I knew about West Point when I arrived is what I saw on TV," says Cunningham. Originally, he started West Point with a class of 865 students, in 1967 Cunningham was one of the 565 students who graduated, with his bachelors in General Engineering and was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the Signal Branch in the United States Army.

From there, his first assignment in the army was Ranger School at Fort Benning, GA. After successfully completing and graduating Ranger School he continued his Signal Training attending various training schools in Georgia and New Jersey before being stationed in Germany. Shortly after, Cunningham served first combat assignment of 12 months in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division.

Later, John discharged with the Army in 1972 at Fort Hood, TX. He the enrolled in law school at the University of Texas and graduated with his Law Degree in 1975 and went on to earn his MBA and CPA. After 25 years in the corporate world with his Wife, Marlies and three children; Michael, Sean and Katrina Cunningham. In 2000 John and his family moved to Columbus, Georgia where they bought a Harley-Dealership, Chattahoochee Harley-Davidson, located just outside of Fort Benning. 5 years later, Cunningham expanded and built a secondary retail location, Big Swamp Harley-Davidson, in Opelika, AL just miles away from Auburn University. Today, one a year away from their 20th Harley-Davidson Anniversary, John and Marlies Cunningham are proud owners of Chattahoochee Harley-Davidson and Big Swamp Harley-Davidson.