John 'Lucky' Luckadoo, 101, WWII; Bloody Hundredth, 8th USAF, 'Masters of the Air' Apple TV+

[appalachiablue]

Last edited Fri May 3, 2024, 12:26 AM - Edit history (2)

- American Veterans Center. Nov. 3, 2023, (23 mins). Lucky at age 101. On March 16, 2024 Lucky celebrated his 102nd birthday. He is among the last living WWII pilots from the 'Bloody Hundredth,' the outfit portrayed in 'Masters of the Air.' John 'Lucky' Luckadoo of Tenn. was eager to get into the war after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and enlisted alongside his classmates early in 1942.

Lucky would complete flight training and go on to serve in the 8th Air Force in one of the first units to take the flight to Germany, the 100th Bomb Group, known as the 'Bloody Hundredth' based at Thorpe Abbotts, England. Lucky would serve as pilot and copilot aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress and fly 25 death defying combat missions over France and Germany from June to Oct. 1943. He was among the first of the American bomber boys to survive 25 missions. Lucky is among the last living WWII pilots from the 'Bloody Hundredth,' the outfit portrayed in 'Masters of the Air.'

- WATCH. 'Inside the B- 17, the dangerous missions of the Flying Fortress,' 8th Air Force. The Boeing B-17, FF dropped more bombs than any other US aircraft in WW2. A lot of these aircraft flew out of bases in England as part of the USAAF's daylight strategy bombing campaign alongside the B- 24. The B-17 was known as a handy, reliable aircraft, yet in the first year of their campaign over Germany, only 36% completed their required tour of 25 missions. What made the raids of the 8th Air Force so dangerous? We take a closer look inside. IWM, Imperial War Museums. (10 mins).
----------
- Hear 100-Year-Old WWII Hero John 'Lucky' Luckadoo Share His Story, Military.com, April 4, 2022. Kevin Maurer's book, "Damn Lucky: One Man's Courage During the Bloodiest Campaign in Aviation History" is about World War II bomber pilot John "Lucky" Luckadoo, who flew B-17 Flying Fortresses over France and Germany between June and October 1943. In a war where the average bomber crew flew 8-12 missions, Luckadoo survived 25 while piloting his plane through Luftwaffe machine-gun fire and antiaircraft flak in subzero temperatures.

The pilot grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and joined the Army after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941. After training, he served with the Eighth Air Force 100th Bomb Group based in Thorpe Abbotts, England. "We were young citizen-soldiers, terribly naive and gullible about what we would be confronted with in the air war over Europe and the profound effect it would have upon every fiber of our being for the rest of our lives. We were all afraid, but it was beyond our power to quit. We volunteered for the service and, once trained and overseas, felt we had no choice but to fulfill the mission assigned.

My hope is that this book honors the men with whom I served by telling the truth about what it took to climb into the cold blue and fight for our lives over and over again." --John "Lucky" Luckadoo, Major, USAF (Ret.) 100th Bomb Group (H) "Damn Lucky" will be available on April 19, 2022, in hardcover, ebook and audiobook formats.
https://www.military.com/off-duty/books/2022/04/04/hear-100-year-old-wwii-hero-john-lucky-luckadoo-share-his-story.html
---------
D Mag. John ‘Lucky’ Luckadoo Is a 'MASTER OF THE AIR'. 'Masters of the Air' on Apple TV+ tells the story of the 100th Bomb Group during World War II. John "Lucky" Luckadoo, one of the group's last living members, tells his own story from his longtime home in North Dallas. March 13, 2024. - John “Lucky” Luckadoo may be the most popular man in Dallas. In January, he met Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg at the Hollywood premiere for Masters of the Air, an Apple TV+ miniseries depicting World War II’s 100th Bomb Group...
https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2024/03/john-lucky-luckadoo-is-a-master-of-the-air/

[captain queeg]

1. I had an uncle assigned to the 8th Air Force

He got real sick on the way over and ended up in a hospital in Iceland. Probably saved his life because so many bombers were shot down. He got reassigned and I guess he flew mostly supply missions in the far east. He made it to 99 years old.

[appalachiablue]

2. The Real History Behind the 'Masters of the Air' Bombing Campaigns Film

2024. - Comments:

.. All sides in the 2nd WW believed aerial bombardment could decisively affect the strategic outcome of the conflict. But did the unprecedented onslaught from the air actually work?
---------
It should be mentioned that about 45-50% (50 - 57000) of RAF bomber crews were killed in these raids. - I salute their sacrifices for our freedoms.
---------
My great uncle was a radio man in a B-17. The only time, and the only thing he said about the war, was that people have no idea how horrifying it is to hear your friends falling 5 miles down and on fire. He said they usually screamed out for their mothers. You could see that he always had it on his mind by how he would stare vacantly at nothing. [Even so] he was a gentle and kind man. I miss him and hope that he now has peace.
---------
Our freedom is so dearly paid by so many, in so many ways. I am a grateful Dutchman, and I salute all of them. That we NEVER forget!