Arlind Erickson
Era: World War II
Military Branch: Army
Arlind Erickson entered the Army on April 29, 1941, at Fort Snelling, Minn. Home at entry: Duluth, Minn.
He served as a Corporal and infantryman with Americal Division in Guadalcanal and Fiji Islands. Attended basic training at Camp Clayborne, La.
Mr. Erickson shared the following: "Was sea sick all the way to Guadalcanal. Arrived in Guadalcanal and the Marines just landed. It was a very bloody battle. On October 19, 1942, was wounded in the head in the battle of Guadalcanal. Treated wonderful in an Australian hospital. Earned a trip home but wanted to go back to unit in Fiji Islands."
Mr. Erickson was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Service Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, and Combat Infantry Badge.
He was honorably discharged on September 30, 1945, at Camp Butner, N.C.
Citation for Presidential Unit Citation:
"The officers and enlisted men of the First Marine Division, Reinforced, on August 7 to 9, 1942, demonstrated outstanding gallantry and determination in successfully executing forced landing assaults against a number of strongly defended Japanese positions on Tulagi, Gavutu, Tanambogo, Florida and Guadalcanal, British Solomon Islands, completely routing all the enemy forces and seizing a most valuable base and airfield within the enemy zone of operations in the South Pacific Ocean."
"From the above period until 9 December 1942, this Reinforced Division not only held their important strategic positions despite determined and repeated Japanese naval, air, and land attacks, but by a series of offensive operations against strong enemy resistance drove the Japanese from the proximity of the airfields and inflicted great losses on them by land and air attacks. The courage and determination displayed in theses operations were of an inspiring order."
Source: Hometown Heroes: The Saint Louis County World War II Project, 355.
