John "Lucky" Luckadoo

John "Lucky" Luckadoo, the last surviving pilot from World War II's "Bloody Hundredth" 100th Bomb Group, died September 1, 2025, at the age of 103.

Luckadoo's legacy rests on his survival of 25 harrowing B 17 combat missions with the "Bloody Hundredth" 100th Bomb Group. His experience endures in the widely acclaimed biography "Damn Lucky" and in the 2023 HBO miniseries "Masters of the Air," symbolizing extraordinary courage amid staggering wartime losses.

Born March 16, 1922 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Luckadoo came of age during the Great Depression, which had a profound impact on his family's circumstances. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps after the attack on Pearl Harbor and received flight training, eventually earning his commission.

In early 1943, Luckadoo was assigned to the 100th Bomb Group of the Eighth Air Force, stationed at Thorpe Abbotts, England. He flew 25 combat missions between June 1943 and February 1944 as a B 17 pilot, ultimately serving as operations officer for both the 351st and 350th Bomb Squadrons. His 25 missions completed his tour of duty, distinguishing him among very few in his original training class – only four out of the original 40 finished their tours.

After the war, Luckadoo returned to the U.S., initially continuing to serve in the newly created U.S. Air Force. He resigned his commission to attend the University of Denver on the G.I. Bill and later built a successful real estate development business in Dallas. In later decades, he became a public speaker on World War II history and served as a primary consultant on "Masters of the Air," helping preserve the wartime legacy of his unit.

In an interview with CBS News Texas earlier in 2025, Luckadoo reflected on the intense danger of his wartime assignment: "I lived every day to the fullest because I never knew which would be my last."

By Legacy News Staff

(Image: U.S. Air Force photo by Karen Abeyasekere)