Memorial

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Capt Herbert W. Cumming attended college and was an engineer.

He joined the Air Corps of the Regular Army at Fort Worth, Texas, on 30 December 1940. He graduated as a pilot and 2nd Lt at Luke Field, Arizona on 15 August 1941. He served there as a flight instructor until January 1943, when he was transferred to March Field, California, where he became assistant operations officer and gunnery instructor. His group was sent to England on 9 August 1943.

Statement of 1st Lt Merle B. Nichols:
"I first noticed Capt Cumming when I observed that he was rapidly losing altitude a few minutes after we left the target area. I noticed that he pulled away from the flight and was losing altitude rapidly. The next time I noticed him was when we were over the English Channel, and I saw 1st Lt Robert Meyers weaving over him at a lower altitude. I went down with Lt Meyers. At this time, I saw Capt Cumming had feathered his left propeller and that his right engine was smoking spasmodically. In about three or four minutes, he bailed out. He cleared the ship, and the chute opened. I saw the chute go down, but I did not see him strike the water, nor did I see him again while the chute was in the water. There was a high wind, and the chute was blown along the surface of the water at a rapid rate toward the French coast. The chute remained visible until three or four minutes before I left. I circled for about twenty minutes in all and gave the AirSeaRescue Service a fix. The water was very rough, and I saw nothing to indicate that Capt Cumming survived."