More detail on this person: UNDERWOOD, Donald L.. Graduated flight school with flight class 68-1,
1968-69 flew in Vietnam with 283 Medical Detachment (Dust Off), Air Ambulance under Dustoff 61 call
sign, and in 1971 flying fixed wing aircraft in the Command Airplane Company (CAC).
LTC Donald L. Underwood, US Army (Ret), took his last flight on 18 October 2014 in Spring Lake, MI.
Don was born to Vernon Lee and Margaret Underwood on 11 June 1946 in Hickory, NC. He had fought
long and hard for over a year battling pancreatic cancer with great courage, faith and dignity.
Don's life was filled with enormous accomplishments both in his military career and his second
career with industry.
Don attended the University of Southern California, pursuing a degree in Industrial Engineering,
prior to entering the US Army. Don graduated with Class 68-1, Rotary Wing flight school, and became
a Warrant Officer upon completion of his training in 1968. As with most flight school graduates
during this timeframe, Don was sent to Viet Nam where he flew Dust Off with the 283rd Medical
Detachment/Air Ambulance, Pleiku. On one fateful day, while attempting to evacuate wounded soldiers
from a mountain top fire base, his ship was hit by heavy enemy fire resulting in loss of aircraft
control and subsequent crash. He and the Air Craft Commander, Cpt. Conners (his unit C.O.) were
both severely injured. WO Underwood was evacuated to the 71st Evacuation Hospital in Pleiku and
eventually to Japan where he quickly recovered and was back with the 283rd Dust Off in only a
month's time. Dust Off 61 completed a year-long combat tour in spite of his injuries. Don's second
Viet Nam tour (1971) was far less stressful in that he was now flying fixed wing aircraft in the
Command Airplane Company (CAC).
In 1971 Don accepted a commission as a 2LT in the Air Defense Artillery branch of the US Army where
he commanded a Hawk Missile Battery and served as assistant Battalion Operations Officer. Don
completed his BS in Industrial Engineering while in the Army and returned to USC in 1976 to earn a
Master's Degree in Operations Research Systems Analysis. Don graduated from the US Naval Test
Pilot School in 1980, class 78. His next four years saw him working as an experimental test pilot
and Integrated Systems Division Chief in the US Army Aviation Engineering Flight Activity (AEFA) at
Edwards AFB, CA. The project for whom Don is most famous was a flight test of the Williams Aerial
Surveillance Platform (WASP). The vehicle was essentially a cruise missile engine mounted
vertically and stabilized only by the pilot shifting his weight. He was one of only two uniformed
service members to achieve sufficient proficiency to operate the WASP in free flight. After
graduation from the Air Command and Staff College in 1985, Don returned to AEFA as the Director of
Fight Test and Deputy Commander. He accrued over 3700 flight hours in 35 models of 24 different
types of aircraft.
Don retired from the Army in 1989. His military awards and decorations include: Purple Heart,
Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (2nd award), Air Medal (17th award), Army Commendation
Medal (3rd award), National Defense Service Medal, Viet Nam Service Medal, Army Service Medal,
Overseas Service Medal, Republic of Viet Nam Campaign Medal, Republic of Viet Nam Gallantry Cross
Unit Citation (with palm), and Master Army Aviator Wings.
Don's career did not end following military service. He continued to work in the research and
development field on advanced aircraft and ground combat vehicle systems concept design,
development and multi-disciplinary integration of electronics, software, hybrid-electric
technologies and advanced energy management systems for military and industrial markets. He held
numerous program leadership positions, initially with the McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company as
the Long Bow Apache Program Manager for Test and Evaluation; later as Director, Airborne Programs
at Litton Guidance and Controls, then Director, Advanced Concepts for the DRS Technologies
Incorporated, and also in a number of positions with L-3 Communications Combat Propulsion Systems
culminating as Vice President of Engineering. Don kept close to the technical world he so loved by
establishing X-Winged Consulting, LLC.
A strong supporter of SETP, Don served on the Membership Committee for six years and presented
papers at several technical symposia. He was presented the Fairchild Award at the 16th San Diego
Symposium for best paper.
Don is survived by his wife Becky, his son Christopher Underwood, daughter Kelly Underwood, sister
Drenda Randell, step children Kristin Fisch, Jennifer Hayter, Ben Dewitt, Jeff Dewitt, Abby
Moulatsiotis, and six grandchildren.
Donations may be made in Don's memory to the charity he strongly supported, the Central Indiana Teen
Challenge, CITC, PO Box 564, Lebanon, IN 46052.
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 01/11/2025
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