Robert Rogers Underwood (abt. 1925 - 1945)

Born about 1925 in Milton, Santa Rosa, Florida, United States

Ancestors

Died 24 Apr 1945 at about age 20 in Pacific Ocean

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Biography

Sergeant Robert Underwood was Missing in Action off the coast of Japan, 24 Apr 1945, declared Killed in Action in 1946 during World War II.

Robert Rogers Underwood was born in about 1925 in Milton, Santa Rosa County, Florida. His parents were Evan F. Underwood (~1895 - ) and Elizabeth Mae (Hildreth) Murphy (1899 - 1989).

1930 United States Census, Titusville, Brevard County, Florida:^[1]

1935 Florida State Census, Miami, Dade County, Florida:^[2]

1940 United States Census, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida:^[3]

1945 Florida State Census, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida:^[4]

Robert Rogers Underwood's name is engraved on the Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii, a memorial to the thousands of American service men who went missing in the Pacific theater during World War II, during the Korean War, and during the Vietnam War. Robert, who enlisted in February 1943 and entered active duty after graduation from high school in May 1943, was a Sergeant in the United States Army Air Force's 459th Bomb Squadron, 330th Bombardment Group (VH) which was stationed at Guam. The group began flying combat missions on 12 April 1945. On 24 April 1945, during a daylight precision raid targeting Hitachi aircraft factory near Tokyo, the B-29 on which Robert was flying in the position of CFC (central fire control gunner) was attacked by Japanese fighters. The plane went down, sinking off the Japanese coast. Three crew members survived as Prisoners of War. Robert's remains were not recovered and he was listed as Missing in Action until he was officially declared dead by the War Department in 1946. He was awarded the Purple Heart Medal and the Air Medal.^{[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]}

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SP5Y-42M : accessed 18 June 2021), Robert Underwood in household of Evan F Underwood, Titusville, Brevard, Florida, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 2, sheet 13A, line 1, family 316, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 307; FHL microfilm 2,340,042.
2. ↑ "Florida State Census, 1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNJP-RZ9 : 2 March 2021), Robert Underwood in household of Evan F Underwood, Miami, Dade, Florida; citing line 37, State Archives, Tallahassee; FHL microfilm 2,425,152.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VTCD-C93 : 4 January 2021), Robert Underwood in household of Evan F Underwood, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Florida, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 50-26, sheet 7B, line 60, family 151, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 606.
4. ↑ "Florida State Census, 1945," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNNC-NZB : 23 February 2021), Robert R Underwood, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Florida; citing line 27, State Archives, Tallahassee; FHL microfilm 2,425,202.
5. ↑ "Robert R. Underwood Missing Over Japan," The Palm Beach Post (West Palm Beach, Florida), 02 Jun 1945, p. 1, col. 2; image copy, ‘’Newspapers.com’’ (http://www.newspapers.com: accessed 18 Jun 2021).
6. ↑ [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79807599/the-palm-beach-post/ "Sgt. Underwood Killed in Action," The Palm Beach Post (West Palm Beach, Florida), 09 May 1946, p. 3, cols. 3-4; image copy, ‘’Newspapers.com’’ (http://www.newspapers.com: accessed 18 June 2021).
7. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "330th Bombardment Group (VH)," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=330th_Bombardment_Group_(VH)&oldid=1024091371 (accessed June 18, 2021).
8. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 18 June 2021), memorial page for Sgt Robert R Underwood (unknown–24 Apr 1945), Find A Grave: Memorial #56134104, citing Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii, USA ; Maintained by W.K.K. CROWN ESTATE (contributor 49326523).
9. ↑ [https://sites.rootsweb.com/~ny330bg/459personnel_4.htm "459th BG Personnel roster: page 4.", "The 330th Bomb Group," Rootsweb.com.
10. ↑ "U.S., World War II and Korean Conflict Veterans Interred Overseas," database on-line, Ancestry.com, (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 June 2021), database entry for Robert R. Underwood, 24 Apr 1945; citing National Archives and Records Administration. "Register, World War II Dead Interred in American Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil and World War II and Korea Missing or Lost or Buried at Sea," Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. Ancestry Record 4283 #147018 (Record only, no image, no sharing link)
11. ↑ "U.S., World War I, World War II, and Korean War Casualty Listings," database on-line, Ancestry.com, (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 June 2021), database entry for Robert R. Underwood, 24 Apr 1945; citing American Battle Monuments Commission. "World War I Listing; World War II Listing; Korean War Listing.," American Battle Monuments Commission. Ancestry Record 8853 #102828 (Record only, no image, no sharing link)