My grandfather Frank Gustaf Severin Erickson during World War II was a guard at Fort Abraham Lincoln in Mandan, North Dakota along the Missouri River while it was being used as a prisoner of war facility. Frank is standing with his son, Lt. Ernest Anders Erickson who was home on leave in Bismarck, North Dakota in October of 1943.

Ernest had received his wings that previous Summer and had graduated from Advanced Flight Training at Blackland Army Airfield located five miles northwest of Waco. The airfield was activated in June of 1942 and initially named China Springs Army Air Field, then known as Waco Army Air Field No. 2 before being renamed after the local black soil. At first it was a glider training school and in October of 1942 Blackland became an advanced two and four engine pilot school.

My father would soon be heading for combat duty at Horham Airfield in England with the 95th Bomb Group - 334th Squadron as a pilot of a B-17. This would be the last time he would be home until 1945 after he had completed his thirty five missions in England. In late 1944 he was transferred back to the states as a flight instructor at bases in Yuma, Arizona and Miami, Florida.