A compelling tale of John "Lucky" Luckadoo, a bomber pilot for the Bloody 100th Air unit during WWII. This work of non-fiction gives you a glimpse into what it was like to fly bombers over Europe during the early years of American's involvement in WWII. Told in 3rd person, we are taken through Lucky's early years, training days, and finally some of his missions. Beautifully told and written.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this memoir of a World War II pilot.

Kevin Maurer in his book Damn Lucky: One Man's Courage During the Bloodiest Military Campaign in Aviation History, tells of the exploits of John "Lucky" Luckadoo, who joined the service after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Trained as a pilot Second Lieutenant Luckadoo was assigned to the 100th Bomb Group flying out of England over France and Germany between June and October of 1943. The average crew lasted only about nine to twelve missions, and with a tour of duty lasting twenty five missions, Lucky as he was called, would soon be testing that nickname quite a bit.

Major Luckadoo, was not just a lucky pilot, but a hero to his crew and those he inspired later. His forward, his afterword and many of the accounts come from his own words an are inspiring and full of real emotion. The writing of the book does not live up to this. The book is just ok, not historical, not a memoir, sort of a mix of British boy's own and men's adventure. Lucky is used way too much in the book, something again from the Wingman adventure novels, plus considering the man is around to write a pretty decent afterward, the reader just does not get a good sense of who the man was. Not to take away Major Luckadoo, but the writing does a disservice.

The book is a ok overview of the air campaign against the German forces, with a bit of information on what it was like to be a pilot during the war. A nice father's day gift for uncles and grandparents who aren't too in to history but like to read about World War II and the men who fought in it.

This isn't the kind of book I usually read but when I read the description I found it to be very interesting. And it was. If you are an aficionado of World War II, you will love this book. And if you are someone who is interested in the life story of a very interesting man, you will love this book. Damn Lucky is an account of Lucky's 25 missions that he survived. And stories of those who didn't. Superb book!

I received this as an ARC through Netgalley. Damn Lucky is a memoir about one pilots journey from flight school in WWII to after the after war. Lucky sure lived up to his name, surviving 25 flight missions over Germany. I loved how even though there were details and facts about the planes, it was not overwhelming by any means. I felt very privileged to be able to read a first hand account of Lucky's experience during WWII. Not many of the greatest generation left and not many that want to talk about it.. If you're interested in WWII fiction and non fiction and want to read a first hand experience, pick up Damn Lucky by Kevin Maurer, you will not be disappointed.

If you are interested in World War II history this is the book for you. The author did a tremendous amount fo research on lucky as they talked about these dangerous missions. Wow cant believe how many they did and how many did not return or go POW. We have so much to be thankful for in this country for the men and woman who gave it all for our freedom. Thank you for writing this book!

This is a true story of a WWII Pilot who survived 25 flights, before heading back home to the US. The story of John "Lucky" Luckadoo is a very interesting and important wartime story, delving into what WWII pilots had to endure. I couldn’t imagine the stress that being a bomber pilot.

Thank You to NetGalley for my advanced copy to read and review.

This is the most interesting and well written war memoir that I have read to date. The layers of the story blend well. You feel the humility and bravery of a soldier, the purpose and resolution of a Division, and the strategy of the war machine. The style of writing is so crisp -- it reads like a relative telling you a story. I am amazed at the strength of this generation -- the commitment, the dedication, the ability to go and do even when the outcome was so uncertain. The words at the end really touched my heart and stick with me. Lucky's comments have changed my outlook on our present national instability. I recommend this memoir to readers of all genres. The book tells a story, but the story reaches inside you to help you determine what you are made of, and it has you reaching out to be part of something bigger than yourself.

As an oral historian, I recognize the volume of work that went into crafting this narrative of John "Lucky" Luckadoo. Thank you to all involved in capturing this story and making it available. We get an insiders view to the attitude and opinion of pre-World War II America, watching the conflict from a distance. Then we follow Lucky through training, deployment, missions, leadership, grief, and returning stateside. But the story doesn't end there, as the author includes the post-war challenges of returning pilots and their future careers.

Lucky's story and experiences must not be forgotten. This is a valuable read to understand what this Greatest Generation underwent and sacrified for us. Students may be shocked to read of ordinary men being put in overwhelming circumstances, being responsible for others' lives, being shot-at, seeing friends' planes be shot-down, knowing that life and death in war seems completely random at times. I also appreciated Lucky recounting some of his struggles to form friendships with his fellow officers and his willingness to fall behind in mission number rather than be assigned to a position where he has no training.

Highly recommend, especially for middle and high school students to put themselves in the pilots seat of the B-17 Bomber during WWII missions.

John “Lucky” Luckadoo wanted to be a fighter pilot after the attack on Pearl Harbor thrust the United States into World War II. However, at 6'3" he was too tall to fit into the cockpit of the fighter planes, and he ended up flying a B-17 bomber from the countryside of England to German targets on the continent. As a crewmember of a bomber, all you had to do was complete 25 missions in order to be sent back home and assigned something else. Unfortunately, this was at a time when just getting to 10 missions meant you'd already beaten the odds.

This is a very absorbing read of one man's experience as a bomber pilot in the European theater of WWII. It's not written like a standard history but is a much more personal account of one man's experience. I often wondered just how accurate the details were - and it's <i>quite</i> detailed - but that detailed viewpoint also brings more of a 'you-are-there' feeling. You feel the anxiety of flying through antiaircraft flak as it peppers the plane Lucky is flying, tearing holes in it and sometimes the human crew. You feel the stress of the German fighters who challenge the massive formations of bombers. And it all makes it a rather difficult to put down book sometimes. However, the less formal writing isn't without its flaws, and I was a little annoyed at some references (like Chapter 12, which is October 1943 and it says "It looked like the fighters were aiming for the bombers like Japanese kamikazes." Kamikazes didn't happen until a year later.). Still, it was a fun and excellent read. (I received an advance electronic copy via NetGalley.)

Great historical nonfiction read! Highly recommend it to fans of the genre and those looking to expand their reading circle. Purchasing for library.

Damn Lucky takes modern readers and plunges them into John "Lucky" Luckadoo and his friend's lives as they leave Tennessee and head off to war. Told through first-hand accounts and interviews, Maurer's book humanizes the tales many have seen in the movies or grown up with being handed down through the family. Yes, people are people and not everything they did was glamorous, but it happened. This is a must-have for personal history, military, and aircraft crew tales lovers.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an advance reading copy.

Review of Damn Lucky, by Kevin Maurer
Chances were, John Luckadoo wouldn’t make it back. “Lucky” needed to complete 25 bombing runs before going home or taking another assignment. Most bomber crew members only accomplished ten missions before being wounded, shot down, or killed.
Lucky’s original crew completed the required number of missions before he did, so he had to make his last few flights as the senior man with an unfamiliar crew. This made the odds of Lucky completing all 25 missions even steeper.
Lucky’s memoir, written by Kevin Maurer, explores the relationship dynamics of B-17 bomber crews, as well as Lucky’s personal fears and loss of faith.
Lucky and his boyhood friend dreamed of being fighter pilots. His friend enlisted first, joining the Canadian RAF before America’s official involvement in World War II. Lucky enlisted after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and then almost washed out in his quest to become a pilot. On the brink of failure, Lucky got the backing of a patient instructor, and Lucky found the confidence to complete the qualification requirements. This instructor would again figure prominently in Lucky’s life.
Lucky dealt with a cowardly leader who thrust him into harm’s way, and experienced red tape that stymied him in the progress toward his goals. Lucky also experienced devastating loss, and so avoided becoming too close to the men he worked with.
At times, the text has more tell than show, conveying facts and setting up for snippets of dialogue. But if you enjoy military memoirs, you’ll like Lucky’s story.
Now available for pre-order on Amazon.

Damn Lucky: One Man's Courage During the Bloodiest Military Campaign in Aviation History
by Kevin Maurer

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This is the incredible true story of John "Lucky" Luckadoo, who survived 25 missions as a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot in WWII. The book is written from first-hand accounts and interviews the author had with 99-year old Lucky.

Right after Pearl Harbor, 18-year-old Tennesseans Lucky and his best friend, Leroy “Sully” Sullivan, are determined to answer the call to duty by becoming fighter pilots. While the United States required two years of college, the Royal Canadian Air Force only requires parental consent for those under 21. Lucky’s father refuses to give consent, but Sully’s mother says she will sign if he feels it is the right thing for him to do. Sully is off to war, and Lucky attends college, signing up as soon as he is able.

As part of the 100th Bombardment Group, Lucky and his team conducted high-altitude bombings. The statistical chances for a heavy bomber crew to be lost on a mission were 1 in 10. A 25-mission tour of duty means that once a flyer completes 10 missions, they are literally on borrowed time. The group earned the nickname Bloody Hundredth because when they lost, they lost big.

Lucky’s detailed accounts of his missions are harrowing, and it is amazing that any flyer reached 25 missions. Lucky describes flying through a storm of jagged metal shrapnel from the anti-aircraft flak guns, evading bombardment from the fighter jets as well as avoiding the steel cables the enemy trailed through American plane formations in order to fowl props or cut off the wings. All this, while dealing with high-altitude loss of oxygen and below zero freezing temperatures. On one mission, a hole in the plane caused the cold air to rush in at Lucky’s feet, which were frozen stiff. When it came time to land, Lucky had to use his hands to lift his black and blistered feet in order to stand on the brake.

In his afterword to the book, Lucky states his hope that this book honors the men that served with him, telling the truth about what it took to climb into the cold blue and fight for their lives over and over again. It may be difficult to read, but it is an amazing portrayal of the courage, selflessness and sacrifice demonstrated by these brave men.

The author suggests the website www.100thbg.com for further reading.

https://candysplanet.wordpress.com/

I am grateful that Lucky spent time with the author so that we can know what life was like during this time. It is important that these memories are saved for history.

A family member of mine flew as a navigator in B-17s in Europe a little later than did Lucky, but from his own accounts, this book is quite accurate--not only in the combat sections, but also in the initial training parts, as well as what these men did before and after missions. Besides giving the historical facts of that time, the author humanized what these men went through and how the experiences molded them into what they became after they came home.

I like history, and I like accounts of individuals, either autobiographical or third-person.

I'm sorry, but I don't like this book. Its great flaw is that the main "character" has no personality. None. We never feel like we know him. He's just a guy in the book who does stuff. The book would be improved greatly if we heard actual dialogue. Many biography writers do that, letting us know that of course there are no recordings, but the conversations are reconstructed from witnesses and recollections.

And this may seem petty, but it really is a serious flaw. We read the name "Lucky" way, way too much. The author badly needs to get on friendly terms with good ol' pronouns. At least 2/3 of the "Luckys" ought to be replaced by "he", "his", and "him."

I have just finished reading Damn Lucky by Kevin Maurer.

This is a true story of a WWII Pilot who survived 25 flights, before heading back home to the US.

The story of John "Lucky" Luckadoo, is told through the writing of Kevin Maurer.

The book is of a very interesting and important wartime story, delving into what WWII pilots must endure. It is simply written and told well.

Thank You to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Author Kevin Maurer for my advanced copy to read and review.

#netgalley

An amazing story of a young man who joined the Army Air Corps and participated in some incredibly dangerous operations, including the daylight "precision" bombings in Germany. The losses of the Eighth Air Force were staggering -- the big bombers were vulnerable and many times entire crews were lost with overall casualty rates of 60-70%.

In an afterword, John Luckadoo comes across like many WWII veterans -- he did not talk about his war for years. Eventually a desire to recognize the achievements of his fellow warriors but also to call out strategic command errors that cost lives led him to put together a memoir.

The incredible drama of the story overcomes writing that at times is trite and repetitive. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for this honest review.

“Damn Lucky” is one of the best World War Two veterans’ stories I have read! Bomber pilot, John “Lucky” Luckadoo, Major, USAF (Ret.) was one of many bomber pilots of B-17s whose bravery helped end the war with Germany, in 1943! His military account, from the bombing of Pearl Harbor, inspiring him and others enlisting to become pilots, to his retirement from the USAF after the post war years, is incredible, and inspiring! This no nonsense account of his missions, flying over France and Germany, during the Air Force’ s infancy, shows the perseverance and bravery, piloting the huge bombers, with minimal experience and against incredible odds, to fulfill missions, which he survives when many of his crewmen are not that ” lucky”! An inspiring read from beginning to end!

Damn Lucky tells the true story of “Lucky” Luckadoo who flew some of the deadliest missions of World War II during the bloodiest military campaign in aviation history. Lucky served with the 100th Bomber Group during the early days of the bombing of France and Germany from England. His story starts with his quest to join the Royal Air Force with his best friend before the war, through 25 missions in combat over Germany to the one mission—a raid over Bremen—where Luckadoo felt like his luck had run out. The statistical chances for a heavy Bomber crew in Europe to be lost on a mission were 1-in-10. At a 25-mission tour of duty, statistically, once a flyer made it to 10 missions they were literally on borrowed time. Anyone who served a full tour and survived was remarkably lucky. Drawn from Lucky’s firsthand accounts, acclaimed war correspondent and bestselling author Kevin Maurer delves into this extraordinary tale, uncovering astonishing accounts of bravery during an epic clash in the skies over Nazi Germany.

This was an amazing story. I learned a lot about B-17 bombers and how they worked. The author did an amazing amount of research. An Afterword from 99 year old Lucky Luckadoo was very interesting with his reminiscing about the flights and the friends he made and the ones he lost in battle. This is a different look at World War II, from the sky, and well worth the read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read it. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in WWII accounts.

One of the most thrilling books I've read this year has described the View of a Pilot in one of the darkest times of mankind, with the light of Hope and Freedom, and the compassion and trust of Soldiers and those on duty. I really enjoyed this book, and I'd recommend taking this great adventure as there is so much that can be learned about World War 2 history, the unsung heroes of the war, as well as what their fears and dreams were during this period.