A framed Air Corps portrait of my father Lt. Ernest Anders Erickson from 1944 that sat for decades on a shelf of my grandparent Clara and Frank Erickson's house in Bismarck, North Dakota. I recall it so well every time I would be in their home.

My grandmother Clara surely looked at this photo daily while Ernest was flying B-17s out of Horham Airfield in England with the 95th Bomb Group (Heavy)

Ernest visited Bismarck on-leave (2nd photo below) after receiving his flying wings in October of 1943 at Blackland Airfield in Texas. He had been away from home for almost 18 months.

Ernest departed Bismarck in late October and by January of 1944 was on his way to England. He flew 35 missions of combat and completed his 35th and final mission on August 26th, 1944.

In October 1944 he left Horham and headed back to the states. I can easily say one of the most jubilant homecoming reunions occurred when my father stepped off the train in Bismarck. Besides what his parents obviously felt, his 4 year old sister finally got to spend some time with her older brother. No doubts huge smiles all around on that day from everyone assembled at the train station.