Robert E. Erikson

NAME: Robert E. Erikson

ASN: 20752964

PLACE OF BIRTH: Loma, ND

DATE OF BIRTH: 13 Oct 1919

DATES OF SERVICE:

UNIT ASSIGNED: A Battery, 217th Coast Artillery (Anti-Aircraft), 101st Coast Artillery Brigade (Anti-Aircraft)

B Company 504th Parachute Battalion

Cadre, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment

Cadre, 515th Parachute Infantry Regiment

B Company 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion

G Company 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment

CAMPAIGNS: Southern France, Ardennes-Alsace

AWARDS: Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge with combat jump star, Purple Heart Medal with oak leaf cluster, WWII Victory Medal

SUMMARY OF SERVICE:

16 Oct 1940 - Joined the National Guard

10 Feb 1941 - National Guard unit was mobilized

Field Title	Value	Meaning
ARMY SERIAL NUMBER	20752964	20752964
NAME	ERIKSON#ROBERT#E########	ERIKSON#ROBERT#E########
RESIDENCE: STATE	74	MINNESOTA
RESIDENCE: COUNTY	009	BENTON
PLACE OF ENLISTMENT	7476	ST CLOUD MINNESOTA
DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY	10	10
DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH	02	02
DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR	41	41
GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION	PVT#	Private
GRADE: CODE	8	Private
BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION	CAC	Coast Artillery Corps
BRANCH: CODE	40	Coast Artillery Corps or Army Mine Planter Service
FIELD USE AS DESIRED	#	#
TERM OF ENLISTMENT	0	Undefined Code
LONGEVITY	###	###
SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL	7	National Guard
NATIVITY	77	NORTH DAKOTA
YEAR OF BIRTH	19	19
RACE AND CITIZENSHIP	1	White, citizen
EDUCATION	4	4 years of high school
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION	736	Semiskilled chauffeurs and drivers, bus, taxi, truck, and tractor
MARITAL STATUS	6	Single, without dependents
COMPONENT OF THE ARMY	4	National Guard (Officers, Warrant Officers, and Enlisted Men)
CARD NUMBER	#	#
BOX NUMBER	0360	0360
FILM REEL NUMBER	3.81#	3.81#

Assigned to A Battery, 217th Coast Artillery (Anti-Aircraft), 101st Coast Artillery Brigade (Anti-Aircraft) at St. Cloud

Unit moved to Camp Haan, CA

00 Jan 1942 - Saw a notice about joining the paratroops on a bulletin board and went to sign up.

00 May 1942 - He was contacted and sent to join the paratroops

04 Jul 1942 - Graduated from The Parachute School

Assigned to B Company, 504th Parachute Battalion

?? ??? 1942 - Promoted to Sergeant

Two months later was sent to be cadre with the 507th PIR and made a Staff Sergeant

07 Mar 1943 - Moved with the 507th PIR to Barksdale Field, LA for training maneuvers

23 Mar 1943 - Moved with the 507th PIR to Alliance Army Airfield, NE

14 Apr 1943 - 507th PIR is assigned to the 1st Airborne Infantry Brigade

31 May 1943 - 515th PIR was activated and S/Sgt. Robert Erikson was assigned as Cadre

Promoted to First Sergeant

Got married

19 Jan 1944 - Moved with the 515th PIR to Camp Mckall, NC

Volunteered to deploy overseas then moved to Fort Meade, MD

Moved to Hampton Roads and boarded a Troop Ship

00 Mar 1944 - Spent 19 days on Troop Ship and arrived in Oran, North Africa

Spent three days in Oran then boarded the HMS Ascania, a British Troop Ship to Naples, Italy

Went by rail south then went back north to Naples after two weeks

00 Jul 1944 - Assigned as Administrative First Sergeant for the Pathfinder units of the 509th, 551 and 517th

15 Aug 1944 - Made unauthorized jump with one of the Pathfinder aircraft in Operation DRAGOON the airborne invasion of Southern France

Assigned to B Company, 509th PIB

Busted for drinking on duty and made an ammo bearer

Went by coal truck to Manhay, Belgium

20 Jan 1945 - Wounded when tank in front of him was hit and backed over his legs in the snow. Same tank that Capt. Howland was by when he was killed. He was evacuated to Liege

14 Feb 1945 - Pvt. Robert E. Erikson 20752964 B Co 509th PIB St. Cloud, MN GO # 8 Under the provisions of AR 600-45, dtd 22 September 1943, the Purple Heart is awarded to the following for wounds received in action against the enemy. ROBERT E. ERIKSON, 20 752 964, Pvt, Co "B", 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion, 20 January 1945, Belgium. Entered service from St. Cloud, Minn. page 2

00 Feb 1945 - Assigned to G Company, 505th PIR and fought in the Hurtgen Forest

00 ??? 1945 - Moved to Camp Suippes, France north of Reims

Volunteered for the Pathfinder Training completed training and then went back to the unit.

30 April 1945 - After crossing the Elbe, he was holding up the barb wire to help a BAR man through when he was shot in the chest. He was evacuated to the rear by Medics.

00 Sep 1945 - Honorably Discharged

18 Jul 1948 - Robert E. Erikson St. Cloud, MN, LIST A - known living Veterans

02 Jan 2018 - Passed Away buried at Fort Snelling Cemetery

Interview with Robert Erikson

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