m a r k e r i c k s o n p a i n t i n g s Lt. Ernest Anders Erickson Air Corps 1942 - 1945
Click to view Lt. Ernest Anders Erickson's complete thirty five mission list and twelve B-17 Flying Fortresses flown between March 27th thru August 26th, 1944 out of Horham Airfield, England.
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The invasion of mainland Europe by the Allies is well underway and has pushed into August of 1944. The 8th Air Force continues with it's continued assault on German oil refineries, armaments, manufacturing and marshaling yards. By August 8th, 1944, Lt. Erickson had completed 33 missions of his eventual 35. In a little over a weeks time he and the crew would complete 4 missions and fly across and back mainland Europe. It was an intense amount of concentration and flying time that was experienced in this short period. My father had mentioned many times it was the most exciting time of his Air Corps days. Just two days after his 22nd birthday, on August 6th, 1944, Lt. Erickson began a four mission shuttle run flying the "Lili of the Lamplight' (44-6085) with the 334th Squadron. The plus week flights would take him and crew on two missions over Poland, landings at Poltava Airfield in the Ukraine. A third mission over Romania followed and then back to Poltava. A final mission in the area and then they were off to Foggia Airfield in Italy. After a few days in Foggia, a final mission of the 4 was over Toulouse, France before they headed back to Horham Airfield in England. Lt. Erickson looked forward to spending time in Italy after completing the three missions in Eastern Europe. It was a long assignment spanning the width of the European continent and enabling Ernest Anders to see parts of the world he had only dreamed of as a teenager. The days at Poltava were memorable and meeting Russian airmen and ground crew was a highlight which he captured on film. One of my favorite photographs he took at Poltava is here in the link. Two Russian mechanics work on the 'Lili of the Lamplight.' During that ten-day run Ernest and his crew encountered barrages of deadly flak fire and some Luftwaffe fighter resistance. After flying missions over Rahmel and Trzebien in Poland, and Bazau in Romania, the squadron landed at Poltava Airfield in the Ukraine, where they refueled and rearmed. They carried out one final mission in Eastern Europe and then headed towards the Mediterranean. They landed at the 15th Air Force base in Italy, formerly controlled by the Germans at Tortorella Airfield, referred to as Foggia Satellite No. 2. He spent the time in and around Foggia unwinding from the long week of flying. Soon enough he and some of the crew commandeered a jeep. The crew visited the Mediterranean cities of Salerno & Naples and my father had a chance to photograph the allied ships which were moored in the harbor and scattered throughout the waterways. In Foggia, a crew member captured what I have always thought were classic photos of my father standing in front of various abandoned Luftwaffe bombers. The photos were taken not long after the Allies had taken over the airfield. Abandoned equipment and airplanes were strewn across the countryside. The images in these photographs seem surreal. I look at them and imagine the chaotic retreat of the once highly disciplined and invincible German military. By mid August the ship and crew left Foggia and completed one more mission, their 34th, over Toulouse, France before heading home to Horham. My father kept many things from his years in the Air Corps. Some things I had no idea that they existed. It's a truly amazing collection of photographs, documents, equipment and hundreds of letters and postcards I came upon soon after he passed. Lt. Erickson 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 soon after his combat flying became a flight instructor in the states. 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. My dad retrieved much of it over the years. I certainly enjoyed seeing the photographs whenever I had the opportunity. In late 2013 I began to seriously delve into this incredible archive. Much of it you can view 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 Lt. Erickson's 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 Lt. Erickson's 30th, 31st, 32nd and 33rd missions over and you will also find his hand written mission notes from August 3rd, 6th and 7th. Final image below is a photograph of Lt. Erickson in August 1944 at Foggia Airfield in Italy standing in front of an abandoned Luftwaffe JU-88 bomber.
The front page of The Stars and Stripes Newspaper dated August 10th, 1944 reports actions
in various theaters of the war. Lt. Erickson and crew flying the B-17s 'The Doodle Bug'
(42-107047) and the 'Lili of the Lamplight' (44-6085) contributed along with the 334th Squadron
on missions pertaining to the reports.
Mission # 30 - August 3rd, 1944 Of 155 B-17s, 38 hit Troyes Bridge and 36 hit Joigny/La Roche Bridge. 11 B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 96 of 103 P-51s. 133 P-38s and P-47s fly fighter-bomber missions against rail traffic in the Metz-Strasbourg-Saarbrucken area. Fighters claim 1-0-0 aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground. 1 P-47 is lost.
Mission #31 - August 6th, 1944 The 95th Bomb Group was the only Eighth Air Force Group to be awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations. The first, shared by all four Bomb Wing Groups, was for the bombing of an aircraft factory under intense enemy fire at Regensburg on August 17th. Operation Frantic missions continue with 75 of 78 B-17s hitting the Gdynia/Rahmel aircraft factories in Poland and proceeds to bases in the Ukarine (Poltava Airfield). Bombers claim 0-2-2 aircraft. 23 B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 154 of 160 P-51s. Fighters claim 7-2-3 aircraft. 4 P-51s are lost and 1 is damaged beyond repair. 1 pilot is killed in action and 5 are reported missing in action.
Mission #32 - August 7th, 1944
Mission #33 - August 8, 1944 The 95th Bomb Group was the only Eighth Air Force Group to be awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations. The first, shared by all four Bomb Wing Groups, was for the bombing of an aircraft factory under intense enemy fire at Regensburg on August 17th. On a side note that would have interested my grandfather Frank back in 1944 was when Lt. Gen. George S. Patton assumed command of 3rd Army on August 1st, 1944. |
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