My father Lt. Ernest Anders Erickson kept many things from his years in the Air Corps. It's a truly amazing collection of photographs, documents, equipment and hundreds of letters and postcards. He often sent home things to his folks in Bismarck, North Dakota between 1942 and 1945, his years in the Air Corps. In late 1943 through 1945 he piloted various planes and after his combat flying became a flight instructor.

From February through October 1944 Ernest Anders piloted B-17s out of Horham Airfield in England with the 95th Bomb Group (Heavy) on thirty five missions over German occupied Europe.

His parents Clara and Frank Erickson kept everything safe and sound that they received for decades. My dad retrieved much of the collection and I certainly enjoyed seeing the photographs whenever I had the opportunity. After my father passed in 2013 I began to seriously delve into this incredible archive. Much of it I have already posted here on this site.

Along the way of archiving my father's collection I came across a thick envelope of 'The Stars and Stripes' newspapers that contained thirty copies dating from March 29th through August 28th, 1944. These dates coincide with Ernest Anders thirty five missions that he and crew accomplished between March 27th and their final and 35th mission on August 26th, 1944.

Below are details of my father's 10th mission, a No Ball (V-1 installations) mission over Sottevast (south of Cherbourg on April 28, 1944 piloting the B-17 - 'Smilin' Sandy Sanchez' (42-97290).

Also featured below are his hand written mission notes from that day and a photo of Lt. Erickson standing with the Navigator beneath the B-17 - 'Lili of the Lamplight' (44-6085).

The front page of The Stars and Stripes Newspaper dated April 29th, 1944 reported the previous days 8th Air Force bombing activities against German occupied French airfields. Lt. Erickson and crew flying the B-17 - 'Smilin' Sandy Sanchez' (42-97290) contributed along with the 334th Squadron on the days mission.

The headline reads:
'Forts Again Blast Airfields in France
Luftwaffe Nests Hit After Invasion Spies Range Over Britain
2,100 Enemy Planes KO'd in 8 Weeks, Doolittle Says'

Mission #10 - April 28, 1944
aboard the B-17 - Smilin' Sandy Sanchez (42-97290)
B-17 received minor degrees of damage
No Ball (V-1 installations) Sottevast (south of Cherbourg)

223 bombers are dispatched. 116 of 117 B-17s hit Avord Airfield, France. 2 B-17s are lost and 38 damaged. 20 airmen are missing in action. Escort is provided by 118 P-47s and 87 P-51s. Fighters claim 0-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 8-0-3 on the ground. 2 P-51s are lost and 2 damaged. 2 pilots are missing in action.

18 of 106 B-17s bomb the Sottevast, France V-1weapon site and targets of opportunity. Clouds prevent most B-17s from bombing. 2 B-17s are lost and 47 damaged. 3 airmen are wounded in action and 21missing in action. Escort is provided by 46 P-47s without loss. 2 fighter-bomber missions are also flown against airfields in France. 34 P-38s using the Droopsnoot method, bomb Tours Airfield. 11 P-38s fly escort and 1 P-38 is lost and 1 damaged; 1 pilot is missing in action.