Cadet Ernest Anders Erickson relaxing in the midst of his flight training at Kelly Field in Texas. He had joined the Air Corps in March of 1942 in Minneapolis, Minnesota and left Bismarck, North Dakota in April seeking his pilot wings.

The photograph was taken in early 1943 and presents a young man on the end road of his teenager years and preparing himself to be a pilot. Ernest was 20 years old at this time. He had only been as far as Washington state from his home in Bismarck before that day in 1942 when he stepped down onto the train station in San Antonio, Texas to see if he had what it took to pilot a fighter plane or bomber.

Ernest graduated from Blackland Airfield in October of 1943 and received his wings and became a B-17 pilot. He then made a beeline for a visit to his family in Dakota. The reunion at home with his family can be seen easily in the photograph below.

Ernest left the states in January of 1944 and was permanently stationed at Horham Airfield in England with the 95th Bomb Group (Heavy) through October of 1944. Ernest wrote an average of 4 - 5 letters home a week to his family while he was stationed in England. Many were profound like this June 6th, 1944 letter and some were simple letters written just to make sure his mother knew he was okay.

Lt. Ernest Anders Erickson flew thirty five missions over German occupied Europe with the 334th Squadron and came home without a scratch yet had life changing experiences and memories that he dealt with over the rest of his life. Growing up with him as his son I was fortunate to hear many of his Air Corps tales and the rest were left for me to find in his archives. Ernest's letters and mission notes told another level of his story that is both compelling and awe inspiring. Many of these can be found on various pages of this website. I invite you to peruse the site and read some of these letters.