The greatest generation 🇺🇲....
Thank God for the people who showed the world America is willing to risk life and limb to destroy evil regimes who are determined to rule the world..

They werent called the Greatest Generation for nothing.     I was fortunate enough to have  been raised by a man from that generation who was a medic in the Pacific theatre.    Thank you for your service John !!

My Uncle never came back. Fighter pilot in North Africa. Victor Giles. I think of him and how so many people in the US who don't appreciate the freedom we have here due to these men. We need to remember and teach this History.

My brother n law was a B 17 pilot that survived to ,, passed away 6 years ago 1 week before he turned 95 ,,, loved talking to him

My Dad, Robert W. Wallace was a tailgunner on two B-17's, Lady Luck and Diana Queen of the Chase during WWII.  He went overseas to England in August of 1944.  He flew 35 missions out of Deenthorpe air base in England.  He was suppose to fly 36 missions but was grounded after 35 because of a major hearing loss.  As a result he was not allowed to return to the states with his crew but stayed at Deenthorpe until the end of the war working in the supply depot distributing oxygen masks to new crews coming in. He did not get to come home until May of 1945.  He wasn't allowed to fly home because of his hearing loss and came home on the Queen Elizabeth.  Ultimately he had a 100% loss of hearing in one ear and a 90% loss in the other.  He taught himself to read lips and wore a hearing aid for the rest of his life.  Despite all of that he returned to work at Continental oil refinery in Ponca City, Oklahoma.  He had returned to his wife and  6 year old son and soon welcomed his daughter, me, into the world in Sept. of 1946.  He was a great father and provider and I always looked at him as my hero.

I had the honor and privilege of meeting Harry Crosby, lead navigator or the Bloody 100th at the Boeing Museum of Flight back in the 80's.  He was selling his book, "A Wing and A Prayer" which of course I bought and he autographed.  I have it sitting right here beside me.  Funny how I still recall thinking that I would have not thought of him as anything but another person visiting the museum.  That's when it dawned on me the enormity of just what that generation had accomplished.  Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
Thank you John Luckadoo and Harry Crosby.  I walk the streets as a free person because of people like you.

Priceless account--sharp and eloquent eyewitness to history and a hero.

One hell of an interview, you can clearly tell this is one sharp fella. Extreme amount of respect for this man and everyone like him. True hero’s whom are keeping this great history alive which is extremely important now days. Thank you for what you’ve done for this country and for many others around the world.

The eyewitness testimony of veterans like John are crucial to our understanding of those times.  It's easy to wax nostalgic about the 'good war', when it was, in fact, a horror show that tried the mettle of everyone involved.  Death was impersonal and so quick.  Those guys deserve our respect and admiration.  What a hell of a time they lived through.

John did a good job explaining the harsh conditions of high altitude non pressurized flying. I knew the conditions were harsh but never knew how or what exactly they were like. Specially about the ice crystals forming around oxygen mask or their feet freexing to the rudder pedals.  God Blessed America with fine brave young men and woman during a time of great despair the world over. May we never forget their sacrifice.

What a great interview. Mr. Luckadoo is still sharp as a razor.
I had a good friend who was a bombardier in the 100th BG. Unfortunately he has gone west several years ago.
He was on that Bremen mission in October ‘43 that Mr. Luckadoo refers to as his 22nd. He described it almost identically.
Thank you for this video and Thank You to all who defend our nation.

When I see the amount of likes and comments for videos only a day old and then I see this posted back in April I feel dumbfounded.
This is one of the best WWII interviews I have come across. Maybe it displays the complete lack of interest the younger generations have in world history, 20th century history.
I never heard of or knew about co-pilots being relegated to the tail gun position until now. Lucky, if you're still around I'd love to meet you but I'm on the other side of the world so it won't happen mate. I loved hearing of your experience and your memories, mates included.
God bless you all.

We really need to honor these HEROS as much as possible because this year (2021) is the 80th anniversary of Pearl Harbor which started WWII for America and these HEROS are passing on average 245 each day and it's sad because this is the Greatest Generation and we need to be picking their brains if they are willing to talk. My Grandfather was a P-47D pilot but WWII & Korea and Vietnam really got to him psychologically and drank himself to death in 1982 when I was only 11 so I didn't ever think of WWII and the veterans as I do today. I was a JAG lawyer in the Army for 20 years went to Abu Ghraib prison and did investigate US troops who did wrong

Incredible story of courage, bravery and of service that needs heard by young ears to learn what sacrifice actually means.

"Lucky "was about 100 years, according to an interview he gave to Ward "Mooch" Carrol channel in 2022. And speaking with the same lucidity and accuracy. Outstanding.
Thanks to all the "Lucky lucadoos" of that time. They were able to keep us all free with their sacrifices, commitment, and bravery.

Great story. God bless Lucky Luckadoo!

Can't believe this fellow was teased by his crew.

Regardless which side you're on you've got to admire the sheer tenacity of people like him

The crew of the 358th Bomb Squadron Boeing B-17F 'Hell's Angels' completed its 25th mission on May 13, 1943. It became the first 8th Air Force B-17 to complete 25 combat missions. The "Memphis Belle" crew completed its 25th mission on May 17, 1943, four days after the 'Hell's Angels'

A True Hero.... from the greatest generation and that is why.