Lt. Ernest Anders Erickson poses for a photograph after his graduation from Advanced Flight Training at Blackland Army Air Field in October of 1943. He sent dozens of photos back to his folks and 3 year old sister Dian in the Dakotas during his training days in 1943. He began something he continued to do throughout the war, sending home countless letters often filled with photos so his family would know he was doing alright.

Blackland is five miles northwest of Waco and was activated in June of 1942. Initially named China Springs Army Air Field and also known as Waco Army Air Field No. 2 before being renamed after the local Texas black soil. Being the first glider training school for the Air Corps, in October of 1942 it also became an advanced two-engine pilot school.

By January 1944 having been assigned to the 334th Squadron of the 95th Bomb Group (Heavy) he would be flying to England. When the crew arrived at Horham, their original ship they had flown from Langley, Virginia up the east coast with stops at Roosevelt Field in New York, Maine, Greenland and Iceland was taken away from them. It was transferred to another airfield and squadron, leaving the men wondering what would happen next.

My father and crew became a crew without their own ship. Over the course of their 35 missions at Horham, they would end up flying twelve different B-17s. Fifteen of their thirty five were aboard the 'Lili of the Lamplight.' A full list is below of the twelve B-17s flown:

Lili of the Lamplight (44-6085) * Taint A Bird II (42-30342) * Ten Aces (42-38178 * Fireball Red (42-31876) * Able Mable (42-31920) * Mirandy (42-31992) *Paisano (42-102450) * Gen'ril Oop & Lili Brat (42-31993) * Smilin' Sandy Sanchez (42-97290) * To Hell Or Glory (42-38123) * Stand By / Goin' My Way (42-107204) * The Doodle Bug / What’s Cookin? (42-107047)

On May 31st, 1944 the crew flew their first mission aboard the 'Lili of the Lamplight.' It was their 18th mission and it was over Osnabruk, Germany. The 'Lili' became their ship, and so named by the crew in respects to the Marlene Dietrich song, 'Lili Marlene.'

Flying their 35th and final mission on August 26th, 1994 aboard the 'Lili' was not to be. The complete story of the Lili of the Lamplight's final mission can be read here: