The following story was derived from a story written by Karina Erickson about her father Ralph Erickson as a class project at Lago Vista High School. Read Karina's original paper at the end of this Patriot Story In 1922, RALPH D. ERICKSON was born to parents of Swedish heritage in Benesford, South Dakota. At the age of nine, in order to survive the great Depression, his family moved to Sweden for a year and upon returning decided to start over in Chicago, Illinois, where his mother had been offered a nursing position. Erickson was very proud of his heritage, spoke fluent Swedish, and he grew up to be a big six-foot-one, blond headed athlete. Erickson was on a swimming...
