Foil: 6 Panel: Distinguished Flying Cross Society Column: 1 Line: 62

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

ROBERT ACKELSON UNDERWOOD. CAPTAIN. USMC (Ret)
Joined the Marine Corps Reserve on 23 Feb 1939 at the age of 18 while still attending college. Assigned to Active duty in October 1940 as a rifleman in the 8th Marines. Upon completion of radio school, he was assigned to Ewa Field, Hawaii. As a member of VMM 241, he was assigned to Midway from March 1942 to March 1943. It was during the Battle of Midway that he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross credited with shooting down an enemy airplane from his revetment position on the ground during a Japanese air attack.
He was sent to flight training at Corpus Christi, Texas, and earned his wings as Naval Aviator and promoted to Master Technical Sergeant. Shortly after graduation, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in Marine Aviation. He flew F7Fs and F4Us at El Toro Marine Air Station. Commissioned as a Regular Marine officer, he served in the Korean War as a Field Artillery Officer and participated in the Chosen Reservoir Campaign. He was awarded the Bronze Star. He retired in June 1960.
Captain Underwood was instrumental in forming the detachment of Young Marines at Camp Pendleton. Before his death, the detachment was named in his honor as the Robert A. Underwood Young Marine Detachment.