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 German occupied Europe was 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 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 and were on way to completing their 35th and final mission. By early afternoon upon their arrival back at Horham, my father's days as a combat pilot out of England had come to an end. He had flown in twelve different 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. Attached are Lt. Ernest Anders Erickson's details of his 35 missions and twelve B-17s piloted. * * * * * * * Ground forces of 3rd US Army were attacking Brest in a determined attempt to take the port. The 8th Air Force supported this mission and the 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: After May 8th, 1945 (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. The group dropped 19,769 tons of bombs and 456.5 tons of food and completed 8,625 sorties. 156 B-17s were lost in combat, 36 in other operations, 1,362 planes battle damaged and 61 forced to land on the continent. 425 enemy aircraft destroyed, 117 probable, 231 damaged. 569 men were killed in action and 3 missing in action (assumed killed in action). 825 men became prisoners of war, 61 internees, 61 evaders, 192 wounded in action and 63 were killed in noncombat accidents.
The 95th Bomb Group Campaigns: |
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