Extracted from The Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, FL)
Saturday, March 31, 1945

MARINE CPL. T. UNDERWOOD KILLED AT IWO, PARENTS HEAR

Marine Cpl. Thomas Ellis Underwood, son of Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Underwood, 6229 Twenty-ninth street north, a veteran of Saipan and Tinian, was killed in action, March 4, at Iwo Jima. The navy department telegram was received by his parents Thursday.

A citation commending Underwood's heroic actions as squad leader of a rifle company during the invasion of Saipan, was recently received here from marine headquarters.

“His courageous leadership, initiative and devotion to duty was an inspiration to those in whose charge he was placed and his willingness to give battle aided materially to the success of his organization,” the citation read in part.

Enlisting with the marines in November, 1942, Cpl. Underwood trained at Parris Island, S.C., New River, N.C., and Camp Pendleton, Cal., before embarking from the states in January, 1944.

In addition ot [sic to] his parents, the 22-year-old marine is survived by three brothers, A. Edison, USN, stationed at Norfolk; George, with the army in the South Pacific, and John, this city.

The above picture of the corporal appeared on The Times front page, Monday, July 24. The picture shows him, unshaven and weary, drinking from his canteen after action on the western beaches below Saipan's Mt. Marpi.

The photo was relayed here via the war picture pool.