This past week Aliza Rux, full-time summer student archivist, has been compiling data of Cobbers who served during WWII. While investigating, she discovered the interesting story of Norman Erickson. Erickson, alumnus of Concordia College, went through a terrifying ordeal - he spent twelve days missing in action. Due to a snow storm he was forced to land his plane in the Pacific Ocean, damaging the float and thus being unable to take off again. He drifted on the plane wreck for one day and one night before being beached. It wasn't until until the fifth day, when the waters were less choppy, that he was able to get away on the life raft. He rowed down the coast until rough water forced him ashore. Norman then walked towards a native village where the "swollen streams and rocky country made the going awfully hard." The natives found Norman on the twelfth day and signaled a passing plane. The pilot delivered the message to the base and Norman was rescued on a speed boat. He arrived home safely, and after losing thirty pounds on his MIA adventure, he added "I guess I won't need to go on a diet for awhile," and after a quick recovery he was sent back to his post. Lt. Norman Erickson was lucky to return back to his family. While going through the records, letters, and certificates the brave men and women who served this country become more than just data placed in a spreadsheet. This was but one of their stories of the hundreds of Cobbers who served in WWII. Comments are closed.
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