Technical Sergeant Earl Wallace Underwood

Technical Sargent Earl Wallace Underwood was born in Chillicothe, Peoria, Illinois on April 12, 1919. His mother, Frieda Christina Bast Underwood, was born in Wisconsin to Christina and Christoph Bast. Christoph and Christina Bast were both born in Germany where they migrated to Wisconsin to become farmers.[1] TSgt Underwood’s father, Wallace Blain Underwood, was born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania to Zephaniah and Clara Underwood. Both of Wallace’s parents come from long lines of Pennsylvania settlers.[2]  TSgt Underwood’s father served in WW1 and worked as a locomotive engineer for most of his life which foreshadows much of TSgt Underwood’s life. Both Frieda and Wallace died in 1947 and are currently buried in Illinois.[3] TSgt Underwood had an older brother, Bruce Underwood, an older sister, Hazel Underwood, also Vera M. Underwood Pallin.[4] TSgt Underwood had two younger sisters, Bette M. Underwood and Muriel Underwood, both born between 1920 and 1930.[5]

 As a young man, TSgt Underwood graduated from Chillicothe High School, in 1937. While in school, he found a love for motorcycle racing and decided to follow this passion after completing his education. TSgt Underwood lived in Illinois until he turned 21, then moved to Miami, Florida to work as a mechanic for Harley-Davidson. His enlistment records state that he worked as a semiskilled mechanic and repairman for motor vehicles. One year later he enlisted as a Private for the United States Army on April 8^th, 1942 in Camp Blanding, Florida. He enlisted for the duration of WWII plus six months.[6]

Upon entering the Army, TSgt Underwood weighed 182 pounds and stood at 5 feet seven inches tall. He joined the 36^th Bombardment Squadron of the 482^nd Bomber Group of the 8^th Air Force. This group was special because the 482^nd Bomb Group was the only U.S. 8^th Army Air Force Bomb Group formed outside of the United States during WWII. The bomb group was formed to develop, train, and deploy the Top Secret Radar Platforms during the bombing campaign against the Nazi’s. This group was activated in 1943 at the United States Air Force Station 102 in Alconbury, Huntingdonshire, England.[7] In Alconbury, Underwood trained to work on the B-17 and B-24 bomber aircrafts.[8] While flying on a B-24, also nicknamed the “Jive Bomber”, as the crew’s flight engineer, TSgt. Underwood and his fellow comrades prepared for their fateful mission. The objective was to drop supplies to the French resistance in Nazi occupied Paris. The French Resistance was critical to releasing German strongholds in western territory.

For his service and sacrifice he received the Purple Heart upon his death in 1944. He also received the Presidential Unit Citation, Crew Wings, Air Medal with One Oak Leaf Cluster, the American Campaign Medal, the European Campaign Medal with Two Battle Stars, and he received the Good Conduct Medal upon is death in 1944. TSgt Underwood also received the Croix de Guerre with Palm, a French Military decoration to honor people who fought with the Allies against the Axis forces at any time during World War II.[9]