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 15th mission on May 24th, 1944 over Berlin, Germany piloting the B-17 - 'Ten Aces' (42-38178). Just reading the details of the mission below, where 482 airmen are missing in action is in just one days mission is startling. It reminds me feel how fortunate my father was on such a dangerous mission over Berlin.

Below a photograph of Lt. Erickson standing in front of his father Frank Gustaf Severin Erickson's car with his daughter, Dian Marcella Erickson as they pose with their game after a pheasant hunt. They had just returned from along the Missouri River near Bismarck, North Dakota in the Spring of 1945.

My father was on leave visiting his family after spending most of 1944 stationed at Horham Airfield with the 95th Bomb Group. He had completed his 35 missions as a pilot of a B-17 and at the time of this photograph was a pilot instructor at a base near Miami. He would serve out his time in the Air Corps throughout the war and after leaving the service he would return to Bismarck in the Summer of 1945.

His return home to Bismarck was an enormous relief to his mother Clara who took the photograph. She was never comfortable with my father’s decision to fly bombers. He spent time with the family, getting reacquainted with his five year-old sister Dian, who was just a baby when he left for the Air Corps in 1942.

The front page of The Stars and Stripes Newspaper dated May 25th, 1944 reported the previous days 8th Air Force bombing missions over Berlin, Paris and Vienna. Lt. Erickson and crew flying the B-17 - 'Ten Aces' (42-38178) contributed along with the 334th Squadron on the Berlin mission.

The headline reads:
U.S. Air Fleets Hit Berlin, Paris, Vienna
Allies Rip Holes in Nazi Lines
'Decisive Eve' Nazis Warn as 4,000 Craft Strike Three Ways
Mediums, Fighters Carry On Atlantic Wall Assault
Yanks Drive To Rome Side Of Cisterna

Also featured below are Lt. Erickson's hand written mission notes from May 24th, 1944.

Mission #15 - May 24, 1944
aboard the B-17 - 'Ten Aces' (42-38178)
B-17 received minor degrees of damage
Berlin, Germany

1,106 bombers and 602 fighters are dispatched on visual attacks on airfields in the Paris area along with accompanying Pathfinder Force with visual bombing of Berlin. 33 bombers and 10 fighters are lost. The fighters claim 33-7-6 Luftwaffe aircraft. 616 B-17s are dispatched to Berlin. 464 hit the primary, 34 bomb Nauen, 13 bomb Rechlin and 6 bomb targets of opportunity. 33 B-17s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 256 damaged. 4 airmen are killed in action and 24 wounded in action and 482 are missing in action.

This is the 3rd 1000 plus plane mission staged by 8th Air Force and the largest to date with 1,106 bombers participating. 1st Bomb Division was made up of 91st, 92nd, 303rd, 305th, 306th, 351st, 379th, 381st, 384th, 398th, 401st and the 457th Bomb Groups.

3rd Bomb Division was made up of the 34th, 94th, 95th, 96th, 100th, 385th, 388th, 390th, 447th, 452nd and the 486th Bomb Groups. 100th Bomb Group became separated from main force by weather and contrails and came under attack by approximately 200 German fighters.