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 11th mission over Berlin, Germany piloting the B-17 - 'Able Mabel' (42-31920) on April 29th, 1944 and his 12th mission aboard the B-17 - 'Mirandy' (42-31992) over Sarreguemines, France on May 1st, 1944.

Featured below is his diary entry from the morning of April 29th, 1944 before his mission to Berlin and his hand written mission notes from both days. Last image is Lt. Ernest Anders Erickson's Air Corps portrait from late 1943.

The front page of The Stars and Stripes Newspaper dated May 1st,, 1944 reported the previous days 8th Air Force bombing activities over Berlin and France. Lt. Erickson and crew flying Able Mabel (42-31920) and Mirandy (42-31992) contributed along with the 334th Squadron on one of those missions.

The headline reads:
'France Hit After Biggest Berlin Day Blow
Raids Over Channel Follow Double Thrust From North South
63 U.S. Heavies Are Lost in Saturday's
2,000-Ton Attack on German Capital;
Toulou Struck Hard From Italy'

Mission #11 April 29, 1944
aboard the B-17 - Able Mabel (42-31920)
B-17 received extensive battle damage
Berlin, Germany

This mission took the Bomb Groups to the business district and marshalling yards of Berlin, Germany.

679 bombers and 814 fighters are dispatched to bomb Berlin, concentrating on railway facilities. Crews of B-17 claim 95-33-48 Luftwaffe aircraft, 63 bombers and 13 fighters are lost.

1. 210 of 228 B-17s bomb Berlin. 10 B-17s are lost and 150 damaged. 1 airman is killed in action, 7 wounded in action and 100 missing in action.

2. 218 B-17s are dispatched to Berlin. 158 hit the primary, 24 hit Magdeburg, 10 hit Brandenburg and 4 hit targets of opportunity. 28 B-17s are lost and 161 damaged and 4 airmen are killed in action, 20 wounded in action and 260 missing in action.

4th Combat Bombardment Wing was strongly attacked by fighters, and attacked Magdeburg instead of Berlin. 3rd Bomb Division was made up of the 95th, 96th, 100th, 385th, 388th, 390th 447th and 452nd Bomb Groups. 447th Bomb Group got the worst of that losing 11 aircraft.

Twelve Combat Wings were directed to Berlin. The Group supplied twenty-four aircraft and flew as the high box in the 94th Combat Wing. Major George C. Hozier flew as Air Commander, and Lt. Mark R. Beicher as pilot. There was an undercast at the target area. All aircraft dropped bombs on the Wing Lead PFF ship. Bombing results were unobserved. No enemy aircraft were observed and flak was moderate to intense. No aircraft were lost.

Other wings were not so fortunate. One B-24 Group lost eighteen planes near Magdeburg, and a total of sixty-three bombers failed to return.

Mission #12 - May 1st, 1944
aboard the B-17 - Mirandy (42-31992)
B-17 extensive degrees of damage
Sarreguemines, France

Operation Crossbow (operations against German missile launching sites) targets are hit in France in the early morning. 531 bombers and 209 fighters are dispatched but weather causes many aborts and only 3 of 23 V-weapons sites targeted are bombed.

Of 161 B-17s dispatched, 18 hit Poix Airfield, 18 hit Roye/Amy Airfield and 15 hit Montdidier Airfield. 1 B-17 is damaged beyond repair and 20 damaged.

22 of 187 B-17s and 57 of 183 B-24s hit the Pas de Calais area. 1 B-17 and 1 B-24 are damaged beyond repair. 19 B-17s and 15 B-24s are damaged. 5 B-24 crewmen are killed in action. Escort is provided by 119 P-47s and 90 P-51s without loss.

In the afternoon, 386 bombers and 558 fighters are dispatched to hit marshaling yards in France and Belgium; 3 bombers and 3 fighters are lost.110 B-17s are dispatched to Troyes (52 bomb) and Reims (57 bomb), France. 1 B-17 is lost and 52 damaged. 10 airmen are missing in action. 125 B-17s are dispatched to Saarguemines (64 bomb) and Metz (42 bomb), France and Brussels, Belgium (13 bomb). 2 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 43 damaged. 20 airmen are missing in action.