John H. Luckadoo, Last Pilot From a Storied Bomber Group, Dies at 103 [View all]
Source: NYT
As part of a unit known as the Bloody 100th, he flew 25 harrowing missions in his B-17 bomber over German-held territory during World War II.
By Clay Risen
Published Sept. 17, 2025 Updated Sept. 18, 2025, 6:08 a.m. ET
John H. Luckadoo, the last surviving pilot from the storied 100th Bombardment Group, a war-battered unit of B-17 heavy bombers that flew missions deep over German-held territory during World War II, died on Sept. 1 in Dallas. He was 103.
His daughter, Elaine Abbott, said the death, in a hospice facility, was from congestive heart failure.
Mr. Luckadoo, known as Lucky, was just 19 when he enlisted in the Army Air Forces soon after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor triggered the United States to enter World War II.
He was assigned to fly B-17s, the military’s new long-range heavy bombers, which were designed to travel from southeast Britain into Nazi-occupied Europe to attack submarine pens, factories, rail yards and, eventually, German cities.
John “Lucky” Luckadoo in 2013 in front of a B-17 Flying Fortress. Because of the high death toll, only three other pilots of the original 40 in Mr. Luckadoo’s training class reached their 25th flight.Credit...Cooper Neill/The Dallas Morning News, via Associated Press
Original PAY link: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/us/john-h-luckadoo-dead.html
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