m a r k e r i c k s o n p a i n t i n g s Frank Severin Erickson Ernest Julius Erickson Andrew Anders Sebran Erickson American Expeditionary Force 1918 - 1919 Out West & North Dakota
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My uncle Ernest Julius Erickson photographed this herd of horses in Squaw Creek, Oregon near Granite River on September 25th, 1917. On the lower right corner you can view Ernest Julius's E.E signature. On September 18th along with his younger brother Frank, the two went deer hunting up near Mt. Baldy, Oregon. They camped, cooked outdoors, went fishing in Granite River and enjoyed the time together up in the woods. Ernest Julius Erickson's Oregon Deer Hunt Diary Ernest Julius and Frank Severin Erickson had gone 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. Frank and Ernest Julius were working by mid 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 hundreds of army camps all over the states. goes simply: "Went and signed up for Uncle Sam today, so if he wants me, I’m ready to go."
Ernest Julius 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. By the end of 1918, 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, 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 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. |
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