Damn Lucky Audio Book Review

Damn Lucky: One Man’s Courage During the Bloodiest Military Campaign in Aviation History

Authored by Kevin Maurer, Narrated by Holter Graham, interview with John Luckadoo

Audiobook, 8 hours and 20 minutes

Published by Macmillan Audio, April 2022

Language: English

ASIN: B094DVDLS4

John “Lucky” Luckadoo, like so many Americans, joined the military after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He trained as a pilot, and after completing flight school was assigned to the 100^th Bomb Group as a co-pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress. The Group deployed to England in June 1943, when the Eighth Air Force’s bombing campaign against Germany was just gaining strength. A combat rotation was considered to be twenty-five missions, after completing those the crew would be rotated home. Unfortunately, Allied fighters did not have the range to escort the bombers all the way to many targets and the Luftwaffe was still a formidable force. Statistically, the odds were against the bomber crews surviving to reach the magic twenty-fifth mission.

Aside from the fighters and the flak, flying itself is a dangerous endeavor. In formations there is always the risk of collision, and weather is always a factor. One under-appreciated aspect is the environment at 25,000 feet is inherently hostile. Without the proper protection hypothermia or hypoxia can be deadly, and the crews had to function in that environment for up to twelve hours at a time. On one occasion Luckaloo’s B-17 suffered relatively minor damage to the nose section over a target. Unfortunately, damage to the metal skin of the aircraft directed a stream of freezing air directly under the instrument panel. He had no choice but to leave his feet on the rudder peddles while the airstream progressively froze his legs throughout the return flight. He returned frostbitten, but Doctors were able to save his legs.

This book follows Luckaloo’s career in the USAAF, both with the 100^th BG and after his rotation back Stateside as an instructor pilot. As the war ended he was working up with a B-29 group for deployment to the Pacific. This is a well-written first hand account of the bomber offensive during the decisive period of the air war. Recommended.