LUCKYLUCKADOO.COM
ABOUT LUCKY
Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on March 16, 1922, Maj. John H. "Lucky" Luckadoo is the last living pilot of the inaugural cadre of pilots assigned to the United States Army Eighth Air Force's storied 100th Bomb Group; the legendary unit known as the "Bloody Hundredth" due to the 100th Bomb Group’s horrendous combat losses.
Maj. Luckadoo is the survivor of 25 combat missions over the skies of Nazi-occupied Europe and is one of only four of his graduating class of 40 co-pilots originally assigned to the 100th Bomb Group to have completed his quota of 25 combat missions.
Maj. Luckadoo presently lives in Dallas, Texas, and frequently gives talks about his wartime experiences to historians, reporters, schools, veterans groups, military bases, museums, and various other groups and venues.
In 1943, 2LT John Luckadoo was assigned as co-pilot to 1LT Glenn W. Dye's B-17 Flying Fortress crew in the 351st Bomb Squadron of the 100th Bomb Group stationed at Thorpe Abbotts, England where he completed 25 combat missions from June 26, 1943, to February 13, 1944, and also served as Operations Officer. Major Luckadoo's list of combat missions are listed here on the 100th Bomb Group Foundation's website.
Home Front Heroes Day
Maj. Luckadoo is a passionate advocate for the adoption of May 9 as an annual Home Front Heroes Day; a day set aside "...to acknowledge and honor the contributions of Home Front Heroes past and present for their support, work, and sacrifices at home during the service of their family members, loved ones, and fellow countrymen and countrywomen in the military." Without them, victory in World War II would not have been possible.
Book
In 2022, New York Times best selling author Kevin Maurer published Maj. Luckadoo's biography, Damn Lucky: One Man's Courage During the Bloodiest Military Campaign in Aviation History.