Colonel William "Eric" Olmstead Eareckson (May 30, 1900 – October 26, 1966) was an U.S. Army Air Forces combat commander during the World War II Battle of the Aleutian Islands. William O. Eareckson was the son of Thomas B Eareckson and Sarah Caroline Eareckson (née Tucker). He was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He served as the Support Aircraft Commander, Fifth Amphibious Force, South Pacific where he took part in the planning for the Hollandia-Aitape landings and served as Support Aircraft Commander aboard the amphibious command ship at the Makin and Tarawa landings.