Cpl. Erickson was a member of the United States Marine Corps Bomber Squadron VMB-423 during World War II. On the evening of April 22, 1944, Cpl. Erickson was a crewmember (Gunner) of a PBJ-1D (B-25 Bomber) that took off in a rainstorm on a night training mission from Luganville Airfield on the Island of Espirtu Santo. The aircraft failed to returned from the mission.