B-17 Co-Pilot John "Lucky" Luckadoo Discusses "Masters of the Air"

The Greatest Generation Live Podcast

Glenn welcomes WWII veteran John “Lucky” Luckadoo, who survived 25 missions as a B-17 co-pilot in the 100th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force in World War II. Joining Lucky is his bestselling author biographer Kevin Maurer to talk about the Air War and the “Bloody Hundredth.”

P-51 pilot Joe Peterburs and P-47 pilot Ed Cottrell join the conversation. A rare gathering of three WWII pilots.

Regardless of skills or circumstances, Lucky says, survival was ultimately a matter of luck. His motivation throughout the war remained grounded in the belief that they were serving a cause to defend their values and freedom, considering it their patriotic duty to answer the call to arms.

As a B-17 co-pilot, Luckadoo describes the grim realities faced during missions, including witnessing bloodshed and the loss of comrades. Flying in extreme conditions took a psychological toll, with temperatures plummeting to -50 to -60 degrees Celsius at high altitudes in unpressurized cabins. Not to mention the constant threat from enemy fighters and flak.

Lucky candidly talks about combat fatigue and how it affected some of his comrades. The sheer terror, horror, and chaos of combat took a toll on individuals, leading to psychological breakdowns. As the operations officer, he evaluated the capability of squadron members to identify signs of combat fatigue. Unlike the British, who punished those refusing to fly, the Eighth Air Force took a more philosophical approach, recognizing the mental strain of combat.

Reflecting on his mentality before his first combat mission, Luckadoo emphasized the sense of duty and patriotism that motivated him. The belief that they were serving a cause greater than themselves, defending their country and principles, kept him focused on the job despite the challenges.

One remarkable and harrowing mission Luckadoo recounted was the planned raid on Berlin led by General Curtis LeMay. The mission, intended to be the first daylight raid on Berlin, was of utmost importance. However, it got scrubbed due to cloud cover dispersing over the target, losing the element of surprise. Despite the cancellation, Luckadoo revealed the gravity of the situation and how it symbolized the intense nature of their missions.

Luckadoo also shared his experiences as a tail gunner, a position he reluctantly took during a lead crew designation. The challenges of communication and the impracticality of the role led him to refuse further assignments in the tail, grounding himself for a period.

Another critical moment in Luckadoo’s wartime journey was his toughest mission over Bremen. Flying with a new crew after his original crew completed their tour, he faced intense flak and witnessed a fellow squadron member’s plane being rammed by a German fighter. The mission tested his resolve, and surviving it left a lasting impact on him.

“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)

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was a world away from John Luckadoo’s hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee. But when the Japanese attacked the American naval base on December 7, 1941, he didn’t hesitate to join the military. Trained as a pilot with the United States Air Force, Second Lieutenant Luckadoo was assigned to the 100th Bomb Group stationed in Thorpe Abbotts, England. Between June and October 1943, he flew B-17 Flying Fortresses over France and Germany on bombing runs devised to destroy the Nazi war machine.

With a shrapnel torn Bible in his flight jacket pocket and his girlfriend’s silk stocking around his neck like a scarf as talismans, Luckadoo piloted through Luftwaffe machine-gun fire and antiaircraft flak while enduring subzero temperatures to complete twenty-five missions and his combat service. The average bomber crew rarely survived after eight to twelve missions. Knowing far too many airmen who wouldn’t be returning home, Luckadoo closed off his emotions and focused on his tasks to finish his tour of duty one moment at a time, realizing his success was more about being lucky than being skilled.

Thank you to our sponsors UPMC for Life and Tobacco Free Adagio Health.