Kevin Maurer, author of 'Damn Lucky,' shares the gripping tale of WWII B-17 pilot John 'Lucky' Luckadoo. They discuss the perilous air combat missions faced by pilots, with a shocking 1 in 10 chance of survival. Maurer highlights the brutal realities of life in a B-17, the emotional toll of war, and the bonds forged among young airmen. Listeners gain insight into the challenges of training, the harsh conditions of bombing runs, and the legacy of these brave pilots, ensuring their remarkable stories are honored and remembered.
40:49
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Discovery of Lucky's Story
Kevin Maurer discovered John "Lucky" Luckadoo's story through a Q&A in the Military Times.
Intrigued by the lack of a book, Maurer contacted Luckadoo, leading to "Damn Lucky."
insights INSIGHT
B-17's Origin and Purpose
The B-17 bomber emerged from the concept of precision bombing to minimize casualties.
Proponents believed it could cripple enemies and force surrender, unlike the trench warfare carnage of WWI.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Brutal Conditions Inside a B-17
Conditions inside a B-17 were brutal, with temperatures reaching -40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Exposed skin would stick to metal, and frostbite was a constant threat, highlighting the dangerous battlefield.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
A Dream, a Temptation, and the Longest Night of the Second World War
Malcolm Gladwell
The Bomber Mafia delves into the story of a group of American military officers who developed a doctrine of daylight strategic bombing aimed at minimizing casualties through precision high-altitude aerial bombardment. The book contrasts the idealistic strategies of the 'Bomber Mafia,' led by General Haywood Hansell, with the brutal pragmatism of General Curtis LeMay, who implemented scorched-earth tactics in Japan using napalm. Gladwell examines the moral challenges and consequences of these strategies, including the devastating firebombing of Tokyo and the broader implications for modern warfare. The book also explores the technological and historical context of these events and poses questions about the morality and effectiveness of different military approaches[1][3][4].
Damn Lucky: One Man’s Courage During the Bloodiest Military Campaign in Aviation History
Damn Lucky: One Man’s Courage During the Bloodiest Military Campaign in Aviation History
John "Lucky" Luckadoo
Kevin Maurer
“We were young citizen-soldiers, terribly naive and gullible about what we would be confronted with in the air war over Europe and the profound effect it would have upon every fiber of our being for the rest of our lives. We were all afraid, but it was beyond our power to quit. We volunteered for the service and, once trained and overseas, felt we had no choice but to fulfill the mission assigned. My hope is that this book honors the men with whom I served by telling the truth about what it took to climb into the cold blue and fight for our lives over and over again.”
During the war, airmen in the 100th Bomb Group could finish their combat service and return home after flying 25 missions. Yet with a 1 in 10 chance of becoming a casualty, few were able to reach this milestone. Lucky was one of the, well, lucky few who did, and Kevin traces how he got there, from trying to join the Royal Canadian Air Force as a teenager, to learning to fly the B-17 on the job, to his harrowing daylight bombing missions over Germany, to the life he made for himself after the war. Along the way, Kevin describes the brutal conditions inside a B-17 and the bomber’s role in winning the war.
The Art of Manliness 
