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 17th mission on May 30th, 1944 over Brussels, Belgium piloting the B-17 - 'Ten Aces' (42-38178).

Also a nice photograph of my father when he was a Cadet after a solo flight during his Flight Training for the Air Corps. He is standing alongside a P-19 on White Field adjacent to Curtis Field in Brady, Texas in April of 1943.

The front page of The Stars and Stripes Newspaper dated May 31st, 1944 reported the previous days 8th Air Force bombing missions over the Atlantic Wall, France, Belgium and Italy. Other operations in multiple theaters of the war are also noted. Lt. Erickson and crew flying the B-17 'Ten Aces' (42-38178) contributed along with the 334th Squadron on the Brussels mission.

The headline reads:
Allies Repel Attacks, Thrust On In Italy
Rome Soon, Clark Tells Fifth Army
We'll Free Capital 'Before Many Days,' He Says; 8th Pushing Foe Into Trap
Coast, Reich Again Hit in 2 - Way Blitz
Aircraft and Rail Targets Blasted From Italy, U.K; Atlantic Wall Pounded
Allied Ring Tightens In Italy

Also featured below are Lt. Erickson's hand written mission notes from May 30th and 31st, 1944.

Mission #17 - May 30th, 1944
aboard the B-17 - 'Ten Aces' (42-38178)
B-17 received minor degrees of damage
Brussels, Belgium

Loading of assault forces for Operation OVERLORD (invasion of Normandy) begins. 928 bombers and 672 fighters in 6 forces are dispatched to hit aircraft industry targets in Germany and marshaling yards in France and Belgium. They claim 65-8-6 Luftwaffe aircraft. 12 bombers and 9 fighters are lost.

268 B-17s are dispatched to attack aviation industry targets at Dessau (83 bomb), Halberstadt (107 bomb) and Oschersleben (51 bomb). 5 other hit targets of opportunity and they claim 8-5-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 9 B-17s are lost and 81 damaged. 2 airmen are wounded in action and 86 are missing in action.

369 B-24s are dispatched to hit aviation depots at Oldenburg (135 bomb), Rotenburg (147 bomb) and Zwischenahn (71 bomb); 1 other hits a target of opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 36 damaged. 1 airman is killed in action, 2 wounded in action and 9 are missing in action. 46 of 91 B-24s hit Munster/Handorf Airfield and 36 others hit Diepholz Airfield. 2 B-24s are lost, 1 is damaged beyond repair and 36 damaged. 1 airman is killed in action, 6 wounded in action and 9 are missing in action.

122 of 126 B-17s hit French marshaling yards; 62 hit Reims and 60 hit Troyes. 24 B-17s are damaged. 39 of 40 B-17s hit Brussels/Schaerbeck marshaling yard, Belgium; 12 B-17s are damaged. 76 of 84 B-17s hit V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais, France. 12 B-17s are damaged and 3 airmen are killed 9 in action, 2 wounded ina ction and 10 are missing in action.

Escort is provided by 186 P-38s, 184 P-47s and 302 P-51s. 3 P-38s are damaged. P-47s claim 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft with 1 loss (pilot is missing in action). P-51s claim 48-3-2 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 7-0-3 on the ground with the loss of 8 P-51s (pilots are missing in action), 2 damaged beyond repair and 4 damaged. 637 Ninth Air Force fighters support the mission. They claim 8-0-2 aircraft in the air and 0-0-4 on the ground for the loss of 3 planes.100 P-47s are dispatched to bomb 4 rail bridges in NW France. 37 hit Longueil bridge, 26 hit Beaumont-sur-Oise bridge, 23 hit Canly-le-Jouque bridge and 12 hit the Creil bridge. 1 P-47 is lost and pilot was missing in action.