World War II Honoree

Ernest Anders Erickson

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Bismarck, North Dakota

Honored By

Mark Jon Erickson

Relationship

Son

He joined the Army Air Corps in February of 1942 and trained to receive his pilot's wings at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas. He graduated from Blackland Airfield in October of 1943 and received his wings and commission. He was off to England in late 1943 as a pilot of a B-17 serving with the 95th Bomb Group (Heavy) of the 8th Air Force stationed at Horham Airfield, in Suffolk County, England. He flew 35 missions with the 334th Squadron between February and August of 1944, and piloted twelve B-17 aircraft during his combat duty in England: Lili of the Lamplight (44-6085), Taint A Bird II (42-30342), Fireball Red (42-31876), Able Mable (42-31920), Mirandy (42-31992), Gen'ril Oop & Lili Brat (42-31993), Ten Aces (42-38178), Smilin' Sandy Sanchez (42-97290), Paisano (42-102450), Stand By/Goin' My Way (42-107204), The Doodle Bug/What’s Cookin? (42-107047), To Hell Or Glory (42-38123). In a June of 1944 ceremony at Horham, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievements in more than twenty five bombing assaults on vital German targets in Europe. He was also credited with support of advances by the ground troops in France. Colonel Karl Truesdell Jr. presented him with the Distinguished Flying Cross. He was also awarded 3 Bronze Stars, The European-African-Middle Eastern Medal, the Air Medal and 4 Oak Leaf Clusters. He returned home from combat duty in October of 1944, after a visit with his family in Bismarck, North Dakota, and then was assigned as a flight instructor at air bases in Texas and Arizona. In September of 1945 he was honorably discharged from the Air Corps and returned home to Bismarck.