Harvey Ralph Erickson

Harvey Ralph Erickson was born on February 8, 1906 to Peter and Josephine Erickson in Erickson, Nebraska.  He moved to Spokane, Washington with his family shorty after his birth. 

Erickson attended Washington State College (WSC) from 1929 through 1934, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Hydraulic Engineering. He married Mary Isabelle Peters and following his graduation from WSC, he worked as a general foreman for Pacific Gas and Electric Company in San Pedro, California. 

Erickson enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces in February, 1943 and was commissioned an officer. He was stationed initially in San Diego with the 19th Coast Artillery Regiment as part of the defense of the city and its surrounding environs during the early part of World War II. He was transferred to the 1924th Engineer Aviation Battalion, formed on July 9, 1944, and sent to Geiger Field in Washington. The 1924th left Washington on May 3, 1945, and were deployed to Okinawa in July 1945. The Battle of Okinawa had ended on June 22, 1945, but the 1924th arrived to help with the construction of infrastructure. Erickson was directing the construction of a water pipeline when the car he was traveling in was hit by another Army vehicle on August 18, 1945, three days after Japan surrendered.  He suffered a traumatic brain injury and succumbed to his injuries on August 23, 1945.

Erickson was initially buried on Okinawa, but was reinterred in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (Punchbowl), Honolulu, Hawaii.