m a r k e r i c k s o n p a i n t i n g s Family Photographs - 1865 - 2017 Sweden * Italy * England * France * Germany New York City * California * Colorado * North Dakota
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One of my favorite photographs and this one is of my uncle Ernest Julius Alfred Erickson when he was proprietor of the Wilton Pool Hall in Wilton, North Dakota in September of 1914. It's truly an incredible detailed photo. There are two calendars on the wall that identifies the month and year of the photograph: September 1914. In early 1917 Ernest Julius and his younger brother Frank Severin Erickson headed out west by train from North Dakota together seeking adventure and warmer climates. Also on their minds was buying some land along the west coast. Deep into Winter when they arrived on their first stop at Astoria, they were surprised how cold it could get in Oregon. Over the next months they considered how the Great Northwest was similar to where they had come from in Dakota. By late September of 1917 Frank and Ernest Julius went deer hunting up near Mt. Baldy, Oregon. They camped and cooked outdoors and enjoyed the time together up in the woods. The first entry from Ernest Julius's diary written on a deer hunting trip in Oregon with Frank begins: My first Deer hunt out west - September 18, 1917 - Thursday Frank and I started out from Baker, Oregon at 8:35 in the morning and arrived at Sumpter Or. at 10:30. Got a car from a farmer we met at a local diner and headed to Granite. We paid $2.00, a price arrived at given the place we are. 12:30am we had dinner and then started out for the mountains, Mt. Baldy which is our destination. Frank and Ernest Julius were working as deputies on the Oregon Railroad out of La Grande. Both had joined the army in June of 1917 and had full intention of becoming members of the American Expeditionary Force that was being formed at hundreds of army camps all over the states.
An excerpt from Ernest Julius's diary dated Tuesday, June 5th, 1917 goes simply: On August 8th, 1918 Frank as Ernest Julius had done the month before would ship out of Brooklyn Harbor heading to England. In September he along with other members of his Company H of the 308th Infantry would be preparing to take part in the Meuse Argonne Offensive. An odd twist of fate was in store for Frank by early October. On October 2nd Frank along with roughly 553 men of the 77th Division led by Major Charles White Whittlesey launched an attack into the Argonne Forest, with the incorrect knowledge that French forces were supporting their left flank and that two American units including the 92nd Infantry Division were supporting their right. With this all in collapse, the 77th was isolated by German forces. Frank would serve during this time as a runner rifleman for Captain William J. Cullen. Fortunately Frank would become a surviving member of the Lost Battalion when on October 8th 194 men would escape through a pocket in the Argonne. The 356 remaining men were either killed, went missing in action or were captured by the Germans. Pfc. Ernest Julius Erickson (2nd photo below) served with the 361st Infantry had been a scout, sniper, observer and runner and was a long-time expert riflemen starting at a very young age. His commanding officer stated: "Pfc Erickson was one of the gamest men in the regiment and one of the most willing." On October 8th Ernest Julius and Pvt. Jesse A. Keene were sent out to locate Company B of the 362nd Infantry.
Unfortunately for Ernest Julius he would not be as lucky as Frank was on October 8th. Out
in the Argonne Forest trying to complete his mission, Ernest Julius was shot by a German
sniper. Starting at the 4th paragraph, the report by fellow soldier, Pvt. Jesse A. Keene clearly
spells it out quite graphically and nothing more can really be said. From all I have read and
the stories told by people that knew Ernest Julius, he was a very special, unique man who
loved to write and sought adventure to his twilight. |
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