LUCKYLUCKADOO.COM
World War II B-17 Flying Fortress Pilot
It is with heartfelt sadness that we share news of the passing of Maj. John H. “Lucky” Luckadoo, the last living pilot of the original cadre of pilots assigned to the U.S. Army Eighth Air Force's legendary 100th Bomb Group in World War II. The Major left formation the evening of September 1, 2025, and completed his final mission to bluer skies.
An extraordinary man of integrity, resolve, and conviction, he built and carried his legacy with a deep sense of service to his country and his family, an unwavering honesty, impeccable honor, and a sharp wit and humor that shaped so much of the man we are proud to have known.
It is an honor of the highest order for us to have known Major Luckadoo, to have served his vision and his mission, to have learned from the time we were gifted with him, and to continue to carry his legacy.
Donations to the 100th Bomb Group Memorial in memory of Maj. Luckadoo can be made at this link.
Click here to view the September 8, 2025, Celebration of Life service for Maj. Luckadoo in Dallas, Texas.
Welcome to LuckyLuckadoo.com.
Here you will find information about the late Maj. John H. "Lucky" Luckadoo, B-17 Flying Fortress pilot of the U.S. Army Eighth Air Force's 100th Bomb Group (H); the legendary "Bloody Hundredth".
Maj. Luckadoo's harrowing story of survival and incredible luck in the terror-filled skies over Nazi-occupied Europe during the early days of the U.S. Army Eighth Air Force's strategic daylight bombing campaign is captured in the pages of his biography Damn Lucky: One Man's Courage During the Bloodiest Military Campaign in Aviation History by New York Times bestselling, award-winning author Kevin Maurer.
In 2024, the story of Maj. Luckadoo's combat unit, the 100th Bomb Group, premiered across millions of television screens in the critically acclaimed Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg Apple TV+ miniseries "Masters of the Air"; a production on which Maj. Luckadoo served as a technical consultant.