World War II Honoree

Deane E. Erickson

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Santa Barbara, California

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

RANK: 2ND LIEUTENANT. HE WAS A UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS PILOT, WHO FLEW THE F4U CORSAIR FIGHTER/BOMBER IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS. SERVED ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER, USS BENNINGTON CVA-20, ASSIGNED TO THE MARINE ATTACK SQUADRON ONE HUNDRED TWELVE ‘VMF-112’ NICKNAMED: WOLFPACK, MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP EIGHTY-TWO. ON THURSDAY, APRIL 5, 1945 HE FLEW AN AIRSTRIKE RAID OVER NANSEI SHOTO, JAPAN AND FAILED TO RETURN FROM THE MISSION. REPORTED AS MISSING IN ACTION, LOST AT SEA ON THE DAY OF THE MISSION AND HE IS MEMORIALIZED IN THE COURTS OF THE MISSING, HONOLULU NATIONAL MEMORIAL CEMETERY OF THE PACIFIC, ‘PUNCHBOWL’ HAWAII. DECORATIONS AND MEDALS: DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR MEDAL WITH ONE GOLD STAR, PURPLE HEART AND HIS GOLDEN PILOT WINGS.