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The invasion of German occupied Europe by well under way by the late Summer of 1944. The Allies were pushing from the west with their eyes on eventually entering into Germany. The 8th Air Force continued mission and after mission with it's heavy assaults on German oil refineries, armaments, manufacturing and marshaling yards. By early morning of August 26th, 1944, my father, Lt. Ernest Anders Erickson and crew aboard the B-17 'Stand By / Goin' My Way' (42-107204) had left Horham Airfield in England along with the 334th Squadron on their way to completing their 35th and final mission. My father's days as a combat pilot out of England had come to an end. He had flown in twelve differnt ships to accomplish his 35 and saw enough action in my mind, yet he put in a transfer request to fly another combat assignment aboard the B-29 Super Fortress.
Here is a list of the twelve ships he piloted with their names and numbers: 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 35th mission over Brest, France. You will also find his hand written list of 35 missions he accomplished from March 27th through August 26th, 1944. Another image below is an in-flight photograph Lt. Erickson took in August 1944 during the 10 day shuttle mission run from England to the Ukraine back through Italy and finally a return to Horham Airfield in England. The front page of The Stars and Stripes Newspaper dated August 28th, 1944 reports 'Paris Crowd Gunned; De Gaulle Safe.' The story about the sudden and terrifying experiences of French citizens in Paris coming under fire from German snipers and "French traitors" as is mentioned in the article. 8th Air Force activities over ten German cities are reported with headlines reading, '10 Reich Cities Pounded By Air U.S. Heavies Hit Germany 4th Day in Row - Escape Routes Are Blasted.' Other actions in various theaters of the war are also mentioned. Lt. Erickson and crew flying their final and 35th mission abroad the B-17 'Stand By / Goin' My Way (42-107204) contributed along with the 334th Squadron on a mission over Brest, France.
The headlines read:
Mission #35 - August 26th, 1944 Click to view a High Resolution image 
Mission details: Ground forces of 3rd US Army were attacking Brest in a determined attempt to take the port. 8th Air Force supports this mission. 3rd Bomb Division was made up of B-17s of the 94th and 95th Bomb Groups. 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. The second was awarded for a raid on marshaling yards at Munster. The third for bombing a suburb of Berlin, the first time the German capital had been bombed. After Victory In Europe (VE) Day, the 95th Bomb Group transported liberated prisoners and displaced persons from Austria to France and England.
The 95th flew a total of 321 combat missions between May 13th, 1943 through April 20th, 1945.
Dropped 19,769 tons of bombs and 456.5 tons of food. Lost 156 B-17s in combat, 36 in other operations, 1,362 planes battle damaged and 61 forced to land on the continent.
Claimed 425 enemy aircraft destroyed, 117 probable, 231 damaged.
Lost 569 men killed in action and 3 missing in action (assumed killed in action).
Lost 825 men as prisoners of war, 61 internees, 61 evaders, 192 wounded in action; 63 killed in
noncombat accidents. |
