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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My Uncle Ernest Julius Erickson (on right) playing pool at his Wilton Pool Hall with a buddy in Wilton, North Dakota in 1914. He'd been the proprietor of the Pool Hall since 1912 and the second photo below shows the proud owner.
Ernest Julius was a prolific writer and you can read three of his diary entries at the
links provided below. January 22nd through October 3rd, 1917 Ernest Julius and Frank were working by early Summer as deputies on the Oregon Railroad out of La Grande. Both had joined the army in June and had full intention of becoming members of the American Expeditionary Force that was being formed at dozens of army camps all over the states. An excerpt from Ernest Julius's diary dated Tuesday, June 5th, 1917 goes simply: "Went and signed up for Uncle Sam today, so if he wants me, I’m ready to go." Ernest Julius (3rd photo below) would be first to enter service in late 1917 and train at Camp Lewis near Tacoma, Washington. He shipped out to England from Brooklyn Harbor on July 6th, 1918 and ported in Liverpool. By September of 1918 Ernest would find himself in the Argonne Forest in France serving with the 361st Infantry. September 18th through September 26th, 1917 In late September 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 Forest of Argonne Diary' - France September 26th through October 8th, 1918 By the end of 1917 with Ernest Julius already at Camp Lewis training, Frank would move to Tacoma and await his induction into the AEF. Soon enough he would be at Camp Lewis preparing for combat duty.
On August 8th, 1918 Frank like his brother 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. Fortunately Frank would become a surviving member of what would become known as, 'The Lost Battalion' when 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. After this period Frank would continue with the 308th till he shipped home in the Spring of 1919. Unfortunately for my uncle, Ernest Julius was shot and killed by a sniper on October 10th, 1918 while in action in the Argonne Forest during the Meuse Argonne Offensive. Ernest Julius along with another soldier of Company C, Pvt. Jesse A. Keene had been given orders to deliver a message to the commander of Company B of the 362nd Infantry. They were well underway when they came under attack by snipers. Both men attempted to run for cover when Ernest Julius was shot. Pvt. Keene witnessed his partner getting hit and laying motionless for 5 minutes on the ground out in the open. He could do nothing for Ernest Julius and eventually withdrew back to his camp. Pvt. Keene gave his report of the incident to the Company commander. Ernest Julius had also been a scout, sniper, observer and runner and was a long-time expert riflemen starting at a very young age. As this document attests, spoken by his commanding officer " Pfc. Erickson was one of the gamest men in the regiment and one of the most willing." At some point later Ernest Julius's body was retrieved and over time brought back home to Dakota. He is buried in Wilton, North Dakota at the Riverview World War I Memorial. Use this link to read more about Riverview. |
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