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 it over the years. 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 18th mission on May 31st, 1944 over Osnabruk, Germany piloting the B-17 for the first time, the 'Lili of the Lamplight' (44-6085).

My grandfather Frank Severin Erickson (photograph below) during World War II was a guard at Fort Abraham Lincoln along the Missouri River while it was being used as a prisoner of war facility. Frank is standing with his son at their home in Bismarck, ND in October of 1943. Ernest was home on leave after graduating from Advanced Flight Training at Blackland Army Air Field in Waco, Texas. Having just received his wings, Lt. Erickson would soon be heading for combat duty at Horham Airfield in England with the 95th Bomb Group as a pilot of a B-17.

In March of 1944 my father would complete his first mission and by the time he received the DFC (Distinguished Flying Cross) in late June 1944 they had just completed their 25th, a No-Ball (V-1 & V-2 rocket installations hidden in the forest along the French coast) mission over France.

Every year around this time I think of my dad as he began combat flying over Europe in March of 1944. By late August of 1944 my father and crew awaited the day they would complete their last and final 35th mission. The cards laid out for that mission on August 26th, 1944 took a very uncertain last minute diversion.

The full story you can read here:

The front page of The Stars and Stripes Newspaper dated June 1st, 1944 reported the previous days 8th Air Force bombing missions on rail yards in Germany. Other operations in Italy get the bulk of the headlines with Rome about to be taken by the 8th Army. Lt. Erickson and crew flying the B-17 - 'Lili of the Lamplight' (44-6085) contributed along with the 334th Squadron on one of the missions over Germany.

The headline reads:
Allies Hammering At Final Line Before Rome With Tanks, Guns:
8th Pushing Foe Back Into Trap
Germans Attacking Fiercely In Area of Valmontone
Rail Yards In Germany Are Blasted
Ploesti Bombed; Lines Feeding West Hit; Wall Itself Plastered

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

Mission #18 - May 31st, 1944
aboard the B-17 - 'Lili of the Lamplight' (44-6085)
B-17 received minor degrees of damage
Osnabruk, Germany

Mission details:

1,029 bombers and 682 fighters attack marshaling yards and aircraft industry targets in Germany and rail targets in France and Belgium. The fighters claim 4-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft on the ground. 1 bomber and 3 fighters are lost.

Of 246 B-17s, 36 hit Luxeuil marshaling yard, France; 30 hit Florennes/Juzaine Airfield and 4 hit Namur marshaling yard, Belgium. 23 hit Gilze-Rijen Airfield and 12 hit Roosendaal marshaling yards in The Netherlands. 3 hit targets of opportunity and 45 B-17s are damaged. 1 airman is killed in action and 4 are wounded in action.

287 B-17s are dispatched to hit marshaling yards in Germany. 88 hit Osnabruck, 54 hit Schwerte, 52 hit Oeske and 50 hit Hamm. 1 B-17 is lost and 58 damaged with 1 airman is wounded in action and 10 missing in action.

3rd Bomb Division was made up of 94th, 95th, 96th, 100th, 385th, 388th, 390th, 447th, 452nd, 486th an the 487th Bomb Groups. The 96th Bomb Group had the unfortunate distinction of sustaining the highest loss rate of any 8th Air Force Bomb Group during operations from January thought May 1944.

Final image below is an article published in the Bismarck Tribune in October 5, 1944. entitled "Lili of the Lamplight Lucky Lady," Pilot Says.