Andrew Chase Cunningham (ACC), born February 15th 1858, was the son of Thomas and Celeste (Chase) Cunningham of Mohawk, Herkimer county New York. At the age of 21 he graduated from the United StatesNavalAcademy (1879), and was in active service in the Navy until 1883. Cunningham resigned from the Navy to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute from which he graduated in 1885. Available records indicate that, for the rest of his working career, Cunningham was employed as a Civil engineer, eventually coming to work for the Navy in that capacity. Cunningham was apparently quite productive and accomplished in his chosen career as indicated by the fact that he held six engineering patents.