211306 Sgt. Harless Cornelious "Woody" Underwood United States Army 191st Tank Battalion. from:Herndon, W. Va. Harless Cornelious Underwood inducted 19 April 1941 Roanoke, Va. Age 22. Completed 3 Yrs. 9 Mon.16 days. Training Ft. Meade, Md., Indo, Calif., Ft. Benning, Ga; Maneuvers N.C & S.C., Camp Kilmer, N.J., Ft. Bragg, N.C.,North Africa. He was wounded at Anzio, Italy, May 21, 1943, and was behind Enemy Lines 5 days until wounded, severely burned, when morter round came down the hatch of tank killing one man wounded three. He refused Medal Of Honor from company Commander, stated only the fighting until dead deserved this medal. He pushed two men, stuck in the hatch together to save him self with clothing on fire. He was wrapped like a mummy in a burn center for a while until he grew a beard under the bandage. Later he was put back into combat. The 191st Tank Bn. was attached to the 45th Infantry, 157th Regiment which broke through the Gustau Line on May 15, 1943 their mission was to destroy German communication and was to draw German units from the beach landing which was to begin in Jan. 1944. They ran into 5 Div. of Germans in the Liri valley, nick named mouse trap valley. They lost 100 tanks the first day of battle on the Gustau Line. The 101 & 82nd Paratroopers were to link up with the 191st plus 3rd Marine Div. behind enemy lines. There were two movies made from the fighting force there, which were Darby's Rangers, and the Devil's Brigade. I have researched the 191st for two years now and finally got information when I typed behind enemy lines May 15, 1943. Many of military records were shredded to prevent falling into enemy hands. I got a lot of information from a diary belonging to Lt. Gen, Welborn G. Dolvin Sr. Commander of 191st deployed to North Africa. Little is given of what happened to the 191st Tank Bn. which my Dad, Sgt. Harless C. Underwood, was a tank Commander with behind Enemy Lines. I found a report with the 67th Medial Hosp. that has my dad's name as David Underwood which is wrong. My Dad passed away Feb. 1 1975 and I never knew he was ever behind enemy lines only that he was burned severely of which he had scars to prove this and that he did refuse the Medal of Honor that his commander wanted him to receive.
Harless C. Underwood name and picture is in the blue book titled Young American Patriots WWll West Virginia Volume ll.
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