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 13th mission on May 12th, 1944 over Brux, Czechoslovakia piloting the B-17 - 'Smilin' Sandy Sanchez' (42-97290).

There is a photograph below of Lt. Erickson at Foggia Airfield in Italy sitting in the cockpit of an abandoned Luftwaffe JU-88 bomber.

The front page of The Stars and Stripes Newspaper dated May 13thth, 1944 reported the previous days 8th Air Force bombing in Czechoslovakia and other actions in the differnt theaters of operation. 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:
4 Oil Plants Hit Deep In The Reich
1 In Czechoslovakia Also Pounded;
Cost is 42 Bombers, 10 Fighters'
'Allied Big Push Is Opened In Italy;
4 Satellites Get 11th Hour Warning

Mission #13 - May 12th, 1944
aboard the B-17 - Smilin' Sandy Sanchez (42-97290)
B-17 received minor degrees of damage
Brux, Czechoslavakia

295 B-17s are dispatched to Brux, Czechoslovakia (140 bomb) and Zwickau (74 bomb). 11 hit Chemnitz, 14 hit Gera marshaling yard, 15 hit Hof and 4 hit targets of opportunity. 41 B-17s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 162 damaged. 3 airmen are killed in action, 8 wounded in action and 377 missing in action.

886 bombers and 735 fighters are dispatched to hit oil production facilities in Germany and Czechoslovakia. There is strong Luftwaffe fighter reaction and 46 bombers and 7 fighters are lost:

326 B-17s are dispatched to Mersenburg (224 bomb) and Lutzkendorf (87 bomb). 1 B-17 hits Hedrongen and 1 bombs Bullstadt. 2 B-17s are lost, 3 damaged beyond repair and 189 damaged. 4 airmen are killed in action, 6 missing in action and 20 missing in action.

265 B-24s are dispatched to Zeitz (116 bomb) and Bohlen (99 bomb). 14 hit Mersenburg, 1 hits Ostend Airfield, Belgium and 12 hit targets of opportunity. 3 B-24s are lost, 5 damaged beyond repair and 61 damaged. 7 airmen are wounded in action and 33 missing in action.

Escort is provided by 153 P-38s, 201 P-47s and 381 P-51s. P-38s claim 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft, P-47s claim 26-0-8 and P-51s claim 33-0-3 in the air and 5-0-2 on the ground. 4 P-47s and 3 P-51s are lost and 4 P-47s and 9 P-51s are damaged. 7 pilots are missing in action.

5 of 5 B-17s drop 1.74 million leaflets on Denmark. 1 aircraft is damaged and 2 airmen are killed in action and 3 are missing in action.