Lt. Ernest Anders Erickson's First Mission
Mission #1
March 27, 1944
Aboard the B-17 - Mirandy (42-31992)
(B-17 received minor - degrees of damage)
Cazaux, France

Airfields in France are attacked by 701 bombers. 285 of 290 B-17s hit the following airfields: St Jean D/Angely, La Rochell/La Leu, Chartres, Tours/Parcay Meslay Air Depot), Usine Liotard Air Depot and targets of opportunity.

1 B-17 is lost and 37 damaged. The casualties are 1 wounded in action and 10 missing in action. 248 of 256 B-17s hit the following airfields: Bordeaux/Merignac, Cazeux and Chartres. 2 B-17s are lost and 51 damaged. The casualties are 11 killed in action, 2 wounded in action.

168 B-24s hit the following airfields: Pau/Ont Long, Biarritz and Mont de Marsan. 3 B-24s are lost, 4 damaged beyond repair and 18 damaged.

The casualties are 20 killed in action, 1 wounded in action, 31 missing in action. Escort is provided by 132 P-38s, 706 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-47s and 122 Eighth and Ninth Air Force P-51s; results are: P-38s: 2 lost and 1 damaged beyond repair; 2 pilots are missing in action. P-47s claim 6-0-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 5 P-47s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 4 damaged; 1 pilot is wounded in action and 5 are missing in action. P-51s claim 2-0-3 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 30-1-11 on the ground; 3 P-51s are lost and 1 damaged; 3 pilots are missing in action.

Of the 701 bombers dispatched March 27th, 256 B-17s (3rd Air Division) from the 94th, 95th, 96th, 100th, 385th, 388th, 390th, 447th and the 452th Bomb Groups are dispatched. 123 are effective on the German airfield of Bordeaux/Merginac, France; 118 are effective on the German airfield at Cazaux, France; 7 are effective on the German airfield at Chartres, France.

Mission #2
March 28, 1944
Aboard the B-17 - Mirandy (42-31992)
(B-17 received minor - degrees of damage)
Chateau-Dun, France

A force of 450 heavy bombers from all three Air Divisions are dispatched to bomb the German U-Boat pens at Ljmuiden, Holland and German airfields in France.

Of the 450 bombers dispatched March 28th, 191 B-17s (3rd Air Division) from the 94th, 95th, 96th, 100th, 385th, 388th, 390th, 447th and the 452th Bomb Groups are dispatched. 127 are effective on the German airfield at Chateaudun, France, 61 are effective on the German airfield at Chartres, France. 2 aircraft Failed to Return and 13 airmen are killed in action, 9 prisoners of war, 59 aircraft are damaged. 1 airman in a returning aircraft is Wounded in action. There were no other losses, casualties or claims in these bomb groups.

Mission #3
April 1, 1944
aboard the B-17 -?T’aint a Bird (42-30342)
(B-17 received minor - degrees of damage)
Ludwigshafen, Germany - Dunkurque

440 bombers and 475 fighters are dispatched to bomb the chemical industry at Ludwigshafen, Germany - the largest in Europe. The 245 B-17s dispatched of the lead force abandon the mission over the French coast due to heavy clouds. 7 B-17s are damaged.

Mission #4
April 13, 1944
aboard the B-17 - To Hell Or Glory (42-38123)
(B-17 received “extensive” battle damage)
(Returned from Operations, involved in an incident)
Augsburg, Germany

626 bombers and 871 fighters are dispatched to hit targets in Germany. The bombers claim 22-13-34 Luftwaffe aircraft and the fighters claim 42-8-10 in the air and 35-0-21 on the ground. 38 bombers and 9 fighters are lost. The bombers also drop 5.2 million leaflets on Germany. This mission is flown in conjunction with a raid on Hungary by 500+ Fifteenth Air Force bombers and a Ninth Air Force B-26 raid in S The Netherlands.

207 of 243 B-17s bomb aviation industry targets at Augsburg and 20 hit the city of Augsburg. 18 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 178 damaged. The casualties are 3 killed in action, 16 wounded in action and 170 missing in action.

The 3rd Bomb Division was made up of 94th, 95th, 96th, 100th, 385th, 388th, 390th, 447th, and the 453rd Bomb Groups. German fighter attacks on 1st Bomb Division and 3rd Bomb Group were the heaviest since January 11th, 1944. As envisioned by the Allied planners, the Luftwaffe was being drawn up to attack the bomber stream exposing the Luftwaffe to destruction by the fighters and bomber crews. All contributing to the goal of air superiority prior to D-Day, June 6th, 1944. At this point in time the invasion was scheduled for May 17th, 1944.

SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE (SHAEF):
General of the Army Dwight D Eisenhower formally assumes direction of air operations out of the England. This gives Eisenhower direction over the Allied Expeditionary Air Force, Royal Air Force Bomber Command, and US Strategic Air Forces in Europe. The Fifteenth Air Force retains some degree of independence along with the US 1st Army Group, British 21 Army Group, and Allied Naval Forces.