[Lady Jane]

Cpl Thomas Ellis- “The Weary Marine” photographed during the Battle of Saipan. He was later killed in action during the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945







As Baker Company attempted to advance on D-plus-13, a fortified position manned by determined Japanese troops opened fire, stopping the forward movement. Corporal Underwood took charge of the situation, deploying his under-strength squad for an attack on the enemy. As he did, a Japanese bullet struck and shattered his carbine in his hands. “Undaunted by this narrow escape, he picked up a Browning Automatic Rifle and continued to lead his men in a successful assault,” recalled a battalion officer. This valorous act would be his last. A shell fragment tore into his back, and Thomas Ellis Underwood’s life ended on 4 March 1945. He was twenty-two years old.